KARACHI, July 25: All the three children of Asif Ali Zardari returned to Dubai on Friday after spending more than a week with their father in Ziauddin Hospital, part of which had been declared a sub-jail.

Mr Zardari’s counsel, Farooq H. Naek confirmed that Bilawal, Bakhtawar and Asifa had gone back and that Mr Zardari was still in the hospital.

On July 16 judicial magistrate, South, Syeda Parveen Shah had permitted former prime minister Benazir Bhutto’s children, Bilawal and Bakhtawar, to remain with their father, in sub-jail for 15 days. An application to this effect was earlier moved by Mr Zardari’s counsel, who had sought permission for one month. Asifa Zardari had arrived in Pakistan earlier.

When asked to comment on reports that the children had been sent back by the authorities Mr Naek said: “I met Mr Zardari this evening and when I asked about this matter he made no comment”.

According to Mr Naek, Mr Zardari does not want his children to suffer owing to political vendetta which had been unleashed against him for the past six and half years. A senior official, on condition of anonymity, said the children had to be sent back for security reasons.