ISLAMABAD/LAHORE: A Pakistani court on Tuesday granted eight-week medical bail to jailed former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, a week after the ex-premier was shifted to a hospital with an alarmingly low platelet count.
Sharif, 69, a three-time prime minister, has since suffered a heart attack in hospital where he was moved from jail. He is since last year serving a seven-year prison sentence handed down in a case involving corruption in a steel mill. He denies the charges and says they are politically motivated.
The former premier is currently under treatment in a hospital in the eastern city of Lahore for an immune system disorder, heart disease and miscellaneous ailments. His name remains on a no-fly list, preventing him from traveling abroad for medical treatment or other reasons.
“We are granting bail [to Nawaz Sharif] for eight weeks on medical grounds,” the Islamabad High Court said in its ruling. “He [Sharif] can approach the Punjab government for an extension in the bail after eight weeks, if need be.”
On Saturday, a bench of the Lahore High Court granted medical bail to Sharif in a separate case involving corruption in a sugar mill.
During Tuesday’s hearing, Sharif’s lawyer Khawaja Harris asked the court to allow his client to receive treatment from “doctors of his choice,” adding that the former prime minister would continue to serve his sentence once his health improved.
“My client is suffering from multiple diseases, and he should be allowed to get the treatment for all his ailments under a single roof,” Harris said.
Briefing the court about Sharif’s condition, his personal physician Dr Adnan Khan said Nawaz Sharif was “fighting for his life.”
A prosecutor for the National Accountability Bureau, the country’s anti-corruption watchdog that is pursuing corruption cases against Sharif, requested the court to grant bail “for a limited time period” only, and insisted that the ex-PM was receiving the best possible care in Pakistan.
Since Sharif was taken to hospital on Monday, members of his Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PMLN) party have variously claimed that his health was deteriorating and the government had delayed treatment.
Speaking to the media after the court verdict, PMLN Secretary General Ahsan Iqbal said Sharif required “advanced medical care” for multiple ailments.
“This government has a clear bias against Nawaz Sharif and cannot be expected to grant him justice,” he said.
“Thankfully, today he [Sharif] is fine and talking normally,” Professor Dr. Fatima Khanum, part of a 10-member medical board constituted by the Punjab government to examine Sharif, told Arab News over the phone, “But he is diabetic, hypertensive and has a heart disease, which are some complications.”
Explaining why Sharif’s health had deteriorated after being moved to hospital, Khanum said he suffered angina pain while undergoing treatment and medicines administered for his heart caused his platelet count to fall under 30,000.
“When platelet count decreases it leads to bleeding in a patient,” the doctor said. “And that is what happened in his case. There were rashes and marks on his skin.”
Platelets are cells that help with the formation of a blood clot in a body. A normal count can range from 150,000 to 400,000.
For now, Khanum said, the medical board had discontinued heart medication: “We are trying to maintain a very delicate balance.”
Pakistani court grants Nawaz Sharif medical bail for eight weeks
Pakistani court grants Nawaz Sharif medical bail for eight weeks
- Islamabad High Court says ex-PM can seek extension in bail from Punjab government “if need be”
- Former premier is currently under treatment in a hospital in the eastern city of Lahore for an immune system disorder
Pakistan’s Punjab to hold Basant kite festival from Feb. 6-8 after 25-year ban
- Province to start safety antenna installation campaign on all motorbikes from tomorrow
- Basant ban began in the mid-2000s after fatal incidents involving metal-coated kite strings
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s most populous Punjab province will hold the iconic spring kite-flying Basant festival from Feb. 6-8 next year after the provincial government lifted its long-running 25-year ban earlier this month, a senior minister said on Wednesday.
The ban due to fatal kite-string accidents was lifted after the provincial administration passed the Punjab Kite Flying Ordinance 2025, marking a cautious comeback for a festival that once symbolized the arrival of spring in the region.
Basant, one of Punjab’s most celebrated cultural festivals, used to draw thousands to rooftops across Lahore and other cities. However, from 2005 onward, it was repeatedly banned after dozens of people were killed or injured by dangerous metal and chemically coated kite strings that could slash motorcyclists and pedestrians, many of them children.
Courts and provincial administrations upheld these prohibitions for years, making the revival of Basant one of Punjab’s most politically sensitive cultural decisions.
“[Chief Minister] Punjab Maryam Nawaz Sharif has approved the revival of our beloved Heritage Basant Festival on February 6th, 7th and 8th celebrated across Lahore after 25 years, a tradition rooted in history and admired worldwide,” Punjab Senior Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb said in a post on X.
“The Basant Ordinance 2025 will be fully enforced and implemented. Every kite string and seller registered, QR coded and monitored. Basant belongs to the people, its success is our collective responsibility.”
Aurangzeb added that a citywide campaign to install safety antennas on all motorbikes will begin tomorrow.
“Every motorbike in Lahore will have Antenna for safety before and during Basant Inshallah,” Aurangzeb added. “Safety is CM Punjab’s priority. Let every kite soar and every ride be safe together, we’ll make Lahore happy historic and secure!“
Under new regulations, the government has made it mandatory for anyone making or selling kites to register. Each kite must carry a QR code linking to the seller’s identity.
The rules also prohibit children under the age of 18 from flying kites, making their guardians responsible for any violations. Fines for minors are set at Rs 50,000 ($179) for a first offense and Rs 100,000 ($358) for a second offense. Kite flying will only be allowed with formal authorization.
In Punjab, kite flying will require permission from the deputy commissioners, and kites may only be purchased from registered vendors.
The ordinance introduces strict penalties for adults as well, including three to five years in prison and a fine of Rs 2 million ($7,160) for violations.
The government has said the new regulatory framework was intended to revive the Basant festival in a controlled and safe manner, balancing public enthusiasm for the celebration with longstanding concerns over fatal injuries caused by unsafe kite strings.
Officials say that the ordinance also aims to formalize the small but extensive economy surrounding Basant, which includes kite manufacturing, string production, dyes, paper supply, bamboo cutting, wholesalers and thousands of seasonal vendors.
For decades, this value chain has operated informally, with no licensing, safety regulations, or tax registration, generating minimal direct revenue for the provincial government.
By bringing manufacturers and sellers into a documented system through mandatory registration and QR-coded products, officials argue that the government can expand its tax base, ensure safer production standards and create more predictable business opportunities for cottage-industry workshops that rely on the Basant season for income.
