Court rules Nawaz may travel abroad for treatment sans conditions

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court on Saturday ruled that former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif could travel abroad for medical treatment for four weeks with the possibility of an extension depending on his medical condition, and ordered the government to remove his name from the Exit Control List sans conditions.
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) president, Shehbaz Sharif, had filed a petition on his brother’s behalf on Friday, challenging the government’s conditional permission for the older Sharif to travel abroad for medical treatment against a surety bond of Rs.7 billion ($35 million), and with a clearly specified date of return.
The government’s conditions were all rejected by Sharif earlier this week, who is serving a 7 year prison sentence on corruption charges, and was released on bail last month after repeated medical issues.
But in a big win for the former Prime Minister and his party supporters, the expensive condition for his departure was eliminated by the court, following a court-approved undertaking that he would return “within four week’s time.”
“The court has ordered to remove the name of Mian Nawaz Sharif from the ECL unconditionally and allowed him to go abroad for treatment for four weeks’ time, that can be extended owing to his health condition,” senior lawyer for the petitioner, Ashtar Ausaf Ali, told Arab News.
“We have accepted the draft prepared by the court,” he said.
After separate affidavits signed by Nawaz and Shehbaz Sharif to assure the court Nawaz would return to Pakistan after treatment, the court granted the former premier permission to fly abroad.
“Nawaz Sharif and Shehbaz Sharif have given an undertaking, so we are giving permission to Nawaz Sharif to go abroad for treatment. The permission is for four weeks that can be extended subject to the (medical) condition,” Mr. Justice Ali Baqir Najfi, head of the bench that heard the petition, announced in open court, seven hours after the heated, all-day proceedings first began.
Nawaz’s brother, who appeared in court, hailed the decision, saying he was grateful for the prayers of his mother and party members.
Soon after the court’s verdict was announced, local media reported that a senior PTI Senator, Faisal Javed, said it would be decided whether to appeal the court’s ruling once the court’s written order became available.
Meanwhile, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Information Firdous Ashiq Awan, while speaking to the press, said the government had always respected the court’s decisions. However, she reiterated Javed’s stance that a decision on the appeal had yet to be taken.
Former Deputy Speaker and PML-N leader, Rana Mashood, told Arab News: “The court has nullified the unconstitutional condition of furnishing of the bond by the government.” 
“Nawaz Sharif will certainly come back,” he said.