KARACHI: Former petroleum minister Dr Asim Hussain departed for London on Friday after the antiterrorism and accountability courts accepted his request to travel abroad for medical treatment.

Dr Hussain, a close aide to former president Asif Ali Zardari, is facing trial before the antiterrorism court — along with other political leaders — for allegedly treating and harbouring terrorists, political militants and gangsters at the North Nazimabad and Clifton branches of his hospital.

He is also facing two corruption references before an accountability court regarding alleged corruption of over Rs460 billion through fraudulent allotment of land for expansion of his hospital, money laundering and receiving commission through fertiliser cartel for the illegal curtailment of gas for exploitative price hike. He is also accused of fraudulently awarding contracts of five gas fields to Jamshoro Joint Venture Limited which caused an alleged loss of Rs17.338 billion.

The counsel for Dr Hussain had sought no-objection certificates (NOC) from both the ATC and accountability courts so that his client could visit the United Kingdom from Nov 24 to Jan 6 for treatment, requesting them to condone his absence during this period.

Last week, the Supreme Court had granted permission to the applicant to travel abroad for surgery, said the lawyer.

The judge of the accountability court then observed that since the apex court had already allowed the applicant to visit the UK, there was no need for an NOC. The ATC judge also permitted his application to travel.

However, the accountability court reserved its order till Dec 13 on a set of petitions filed by the accused requesting it to quash the reference pertaining to the alleged corruption of Rs17.338 billion and not indict them in the case.

On Friday evening, Dr Hussain left for London on an Emirates flight vowing to return after the treatment “to play an active role in politics”.

In a video message before his departure, he denied rumours of stepping down as Karachi division’s president of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) to join any other party.

“I have been loyal to the PPP and its leadership with strong trust-based relations with Asif Ali Zardari and chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari,” he said.

“I am a man of federation and a political worker like me has no other place but the PPP. I would be back soon after my treatment and play an active role in politics under the PPP leadership,” added Dr Hussain.

Meanwhile, his spokesman said Dr Hussain had left the country alone and was seen off at the airport by his mother and wife, adding that he would be staying in London for treatment and would return after doctors advised him to do so.

Published in Dawn, November 25th, 2017