Pakistan court frees ex-PM Sharif for medical treatment

A top Pakistani court yesterday ordered convicted former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif released on bail so he can seek medical treatment at home or abroad, his family and a defense lawyer said. The decision was announced by the Lahore High Court after hearing a petition from Sharif’s brother, Shahbaz Sharif, who heads the main opposition Pakistan Muslim League party.

But it doesn’t mean that the former premier will automatically be freed as he faces another appeal hearing for bail next week. Nawaz Sharif was rushed from prison to the government hospital in Lahore on Monday, after his health condition was said to have deteriorated. He has remained there under supervision of prison authorities.

The 69-year-old Sharif, who served three times as prime minister, has had a history of health problems, including heart disease. His lawyer Ashtar Ausaf said court authorities cannot release Sharif immediately until they hear a separate appeal set for next Tuesday. That hearing pertains to the second corruption conviction against Sharif, he added.

When Sharif was taken to hospital on Monday, his doctors initially believed he had contracted dengue fever, which is rampant across Pakistan. But later medical tests concluded that his immune system malfunctioned, which was the reason for a concerningly low platelet count. Panicked over his deteriorating health, Sharif ’s family petitioned the court in Lahore, requesting his release.