ATC issues release order for Dr Asim in militants' treatment case

Shafi Baloch Published March 29, 2017

An anti-terrorism court on Wednesday issued a release order for former federal minister and PPP leader Dr Asim Hussain in a case relating to the alleged treatment of terrorists at his hospital.

Dr Asim was booked on the complaint of Rangers for allegedly treating and harbouring suspected terrorists, militants and gangsters at the North Nazimabad and Clifton branches of his hospital at the behest of some MQM and PPP leaders.

Earlier today, the Sindh High Court granted bail to Dr Asim in two corruption references filed against him by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on the submission of surety bonds worth Rs5 million.

Justice Aftab Ahmed Gorar, a referee judge in the case, approved the bail on 'medical grounds'.

Sindh High Court Chief Justice Syed Sajjad Ali Shah had appointed Justice Gorar as the referee judge after a divisional bench of the Sindh High Court was unable to reach a consensus regarding the bail application.

NAB has been pursuing Dr Hussain on charges that the former petroleum minister deprived the state exchequer of Rs462.5bn between 2010 and 2013 — Rs450bn through a fertiliser scam, Rs9.5bn through land fraud and Rs3bn through money laundering.

Dr Hussain, a close aide of former president Asif Ali Zardari, was arrested in August 2015 by Rangers. After three months in preventive detention, the paramilitary force handed him over to police in a case pertaining to sheltering and treating alleged terrorists at his hospitals.

NAB was handed his custody in December 2015 to initiate a graft investigation.

NAB opened multiple inquiries against the former petroleum minister alleging misuse of authority in fraudulent allotment of plots and encroachment of state land for the Dr Ziauddin Hospital/Trust; illegal gains; receiving kickbacks and commissions from a fertiliser cartel for illegal curtailment of gas for exploitative price hikes and black marketing from 2010 to 2012; defrauding the public in the name of running a charity hospital; and laundering money.

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aleem

Mar 29, 2017 10:54am

keep this guy in jail as he has done enough damage to pakistan already especially medical education.

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Hatim

Mar 29, 2017 11:03am

Nothing but compromise over Panama.

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Make Pakistan great

Mar 29, 2017 11:02am

@aleem Granted bail on medical grounds. Isn't it strange that all suspected criminals become ill the moment they are apprehended. Now that he has been granted bail, he will leave the country

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Riaz Ullah Baig

Mar 29, 2017 11:15am

Ayan, Kazmi, Sharjeel, those Qadir guys and now Dr. Asim; the circle has completed finally. PPP (rather AAZ) has been successful in pressurizing NS to his demands for giving his support to stabilize the democracy!

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Ali abbas

Mar 29, 2017 11:12am

Ayan, Sherjeel and now Dr. Asim.. Panama effects.. muk muka at its best.. all the arrests were bargaining tools; nothing more, nothing less

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Malik

Mar 29, 2017 11:19am

The nation has suffered a lot and is continuously suffering from this corrupt culture.

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Aussie

Mar 29, 2017 11:16am

These people bring nothing but shame for the country ...

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Mantharia

Mar 29, 2017 11:23am

Watch the space , all rich corrupts will be let loose . God help poor people who are in jails for stealing peanuts .

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Shaukat Ali Khan

Mar 29, 2017 11:30am

What is 5 million for him?

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yousaf jamal akhtar

Mar 29, 2017 11:30am

guess dubai is nice this time of year ,

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Yousuf

Mar 29, 2017 11:30am

One can get away easily if he is supported by Zardari or Nawaz. Corruption mafia cooperates with each other. We will again vote for these corrupts in 2018, what a shame!

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no commments

Mar 29, 2017 11:48am

as i said earlier nothing will change.

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Skeptic

Mar 29, 2017 12:23pm

This is nothing unusual. Happens every day in Pakistan. There is not a single example of a public official spending years in Jail for corruption, tax evasion, money laundering, misappropriation, for taking bribes or other nefarious deeds. You would think Pakistan is full of Saints and Sufis. Yet the country is in the top-ten lists of most corrupt nations.

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maverik

Mar 29, 2017 12:30pm

Fruits of "democracy".

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Zawar Hasan

Mar 29, 2017 01:07pm

@aleem : sorry Dear he invested his income legal or illegal in Pakistan for the welfare of illness, in medical education teach and noble profession, also treating wounded patience, but did not take this money to Panama and luxury flats, money laundering are free and in Govt. SC said to NAB chairman your Dept is non-functional. Keep Dr Asim in Jail is illegal, inhuman, his wife suffering from Cancer, have old age mother, Asim is already suffering due to this torture in jail. Panama people are free in country. I support Dr Asim release no victimisation.

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Mirza

Mar 29, 2017 01:11pm

All corrupts are Angels, only poor are thief's

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MOHAMMED

Mar 29, 2017 01:36pm

@Zawar Hasan Every criminal seems to suffer from illness as soon as they get caught. He was suffering when he was stealing from the poor.

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Dr. Salaria, Aamir Ahmad

Mar 29, 2017 01:39pm

What else can it do?

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qasim Kazmi

Mar 29, 2017 01:39pm

@aleem : why you r against him, he is running his hospital and university for human development. Not Panama gate, let him free. Produce proof against him.

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ABE

Mar 29, 2017 01:58pm

So in essence he is accused of skimming nearly 100 Billion Rupees or over $ 1 Billion? That is still only half of what NS is alleged to have stashed in offshore accounts and properties abroad. Goes to show the level of greed in public officials. A mere few $ million will not suffice to satisfy their inflated egos. It has to be an amount in the billions. Makes it sound like Pakistan is one of the richest countries of the world!??

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in your face

Mar 29, 2017 02:03pm

This shows how incompetent and not trust-able Pak Civil government is. Then we cry where the natural calamity hitting us. When there is no justice prevailed in the community then how can we expect a system to run firmly.

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Waaris

Mar 29, 2017 02:15pm

Now Pakistan cannot be salvaged from these corrupt politicians.

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tariq haider

Mar 29, 2017 02:13pm

@Zawar Hasan Your statement compelled me to contemplate that individual like yourself encourages the corrupt politician to loot and get away with bail.

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Mar 29, 2017 02:20pm

Another NRO

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Riz

Mar 29, 2017 02:26pm

He is free now. No law for powerful people in Pakistan 1% people. Only law for 99% people of Pakistan

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Riz

Mar 29, 2017 02:28pm

@Zawar Hasan You support Dr, Some support Nawaz, Some support Zardari, No support for normal people The problem in Pakistan is you get support depending on money, big money big support, no law, No money no support and all laws apply to you

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Blister

Mar 29, 2017 02:26pm

SHAME on all the PPP leaders and followers who consider themselves educated and learned.

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Mar 29, 2017 02:34pm

In Pakistan justice is only for high profile criminals, murderers, and money launderers.

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Abdulla hussain

Mar 29, 2017 02:40pm

Change in the present corrupt system will only come with PTI coming to power till then nothing will change. PTI is the only hope for good and honest governance.

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ISmAIL

Mar 29, 2017 02:46pm

@ Zawar Hussain Suffering from critical deceases doesn't allow any judicial relief from thefting. The whole nation deserve such treatment for their deeds because we are the one supporting ill fated people as our leaders.

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Arsalan Aftab

Mar 29, 2017 02:47pm

Democracy is the best revenge............... from the people of Pakistan

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fayaz

Mar 29, 2017 02:58pm

The law is made for the weaker who always puts in prison and the elite always gets free even he may commit a heinous crime as Doctor Asim and Sharjeel did.

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Ghalib Ghalib

Mar 29, 2017 03:01pm

Every time someone is accused of a crime however legitimate suddenly there is a medical issue with the person. All the time same story and no one questions this at all. It is better to have no laws so the every does what they have to do to get on top and maybe the good people can forget being good and become winners. The law in Pak is not working. So lets find something different.

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Nadir Naqvi

Mar 29, 2017 03:05pm

There is NO JUSTICE!!!

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Ali_khan

Mar 29, 2017 03:20pm

loot country in billions and get bail in millions

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Here we go

Mar 29, 2017 03:29pm

Here we go again no surprise at all!

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Here we go

Mar 29, 2017 03:32pm

@qasim Kazmi u r so Naive!

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Adnan Liaqat

Mar 29, 2017 03:34pm

His name should be placed under Exit Control List as soon as possible otherwise, he will manage to escape from the country with the help of is allies. He must be placed under preventive detention until the final disposal of cases filed against him.

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m usman ali

Mar 29, 2017 03:38pm

@MOHAMMED well said..

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Imran

Mar 29, 2017 03:40pm

We have always punished the weak and crowned the looters, he is no exception.

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Make Pakistan great

Mar 29, 2017 03:50pm

What Chaudhary Nisar had said some months back has been proved to be true. He had disclosed that PPP was asking that as part of confidence building measures (CBM), Ayan Ali and Dr. Asim should be released. This is exactly what has happened. Now there is no hurdle in the way of PML-N and PPP patch up.

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BAXAR

Mar 29, 2017 04:04pm

@ISmAIL " Suffering from critical deceases doesn't allow any judicial relief from thefting."He was never proven guilty of anything till now.

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tahir saleem

Mar 29, 2017 04:13pm

Exchequers money disgusted?? pity

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arif ullah

Mar 29, 2017 04:13pm

the verdicts of terrorism & corruption is only for the poor. these are never gonna be punished...soon he will be in dire need of a surgery in abroad,the rest will be usual exile ever after...

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Syed zafar kazmi u.s.a

Mar 29, 2017 04:12pm

Nobody should be kept in jail without due process of law which is prosecution or else it becomes persecution which in this case it has been Nothing otherwise especially when the government with bureaucracy at any level is so heavily corrupt and none of them is what to talk of jailed even prosecuted.

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wanghai

Mar 29, 2017 04:16pm

For elite class law is different and for poor, it is different

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Ejaz khan

Mar 29, 2017 04:16pm

I am astonished to see all the comment.We have to keep faith on justice system. The case against Dr Asim to treat the terrorist is B S. The hospital are subject to treat every patient with out any prejudice. The case for embezzlement of fund, state should provide the proof to court. This is very easy to say anything against any body.

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Kirby

Mar 29, 2017 04:18pm

@Abdulla hussain : only time will tell but under the circumstance I agree with you.

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Sabeeh ahmad

Mar 29, 2017 04:29pm

Its more than evident that only people of Pakistan are meant for going to jails and these politicians are cleared by one way or other.

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Zawar Hasan

Mar 29, 2017 04:37pm

@MOHAMMED : Dr Asim services are more than Panama luxury flats, who are free and Dr Asim in jail. no justification, he deserve bail sir.

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M.Saeed

Mar 29, 2017 04:40pm

Just a bail of just Rs 5 million for corruption of almost Rs 500 billion, which is Rs 500,000 million? This is more than all the NRO cases combined.

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Zawar Hasan

Mar 29, 2017 04:42pm

@tariq haider : Sir no, note his services are more than Panama. I am only support for justice for all. That Panama gate free for all running in Pak and Asim without proof in jail. Proof or release

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Zawar Hasan

Mar 29, 2017 04:44pm

@ISmAIL : why for 2 yrs without any proof ? who will return his life 2 yrs pls.

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javed

Mar 29, 2017 04:44pm

Either the govt. knew all along, that Dr. Asim was innocent or it has made a deal with PPP.

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M.Saeed

Mar 29, 2017 04:46pm

@Zawar Hasan: Medical services were not from him but, from his noble father in law. B ut his own harm to the nation is an unending and perpetual burden on every single citizen of the country who will continue to pay through his nose for his gas, petroleum and related bills, for all times to come

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Arsalan Aftab

Mar 29, 2017 04:44pm

Pakistan Zindabad !!!

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my Comments

Mar 29, 2017 04:51pm

When public would know if this fellow is 'innocent' or a 'criminal'??

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muhammad

Mar 29, 2017 05:01pm

Why he is getting bail if he is not innocent and if he is innocent And I doubt that why he is in jail. In pakistan everything is politics no one care about country and self dignity.

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M.Saeed

Mar 29, 2017 05:00pm

Let us keep all the chain reactions in view following the safe return of the main actor who is now challenging all, forgetting his threat to "ring every single brick of the nation, with the other", if troubled.

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qaiser ahmed

Mar 29, 2017 05:06pm

What a JOKE.

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ISmAIL

Mar 29, 2017 05:08pm

@Zawar Hussain: Since the given system (in name of democracy) cannot prove them wrong, whether it is Panama, Swiss Banks or Dubai Properties. We as a nation should bow them and apologies. Pitty on us but why pitty, we deserve this system.

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Capt Faraz

Mar 29, 2017 05:16pm

It is very simple .....Give n Take........

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M S M

Mar 29, 2017 05:18pm

sadly and gradually losing all confidence in our nation's leaders and in good governance or justice... criminals all go free..

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Shahmir

Mar 29, 2017 05:14pm

@Hatim Not Panama, but Military courts..

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tahir saleem

Mar 29, 2017 05:16pm

Dr. Asim is a simple and an innocent person.He is victim and revenge of democracy. RS we miss you a lot

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Euro skeptic

Mar 29, 2017 05:31pm

@Skeptic Mind Asif Zardari spent Eleven years in jail even without getting a single charged proved. Isn't this strange??

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Taimoor khan

Mar 29, 2017 05:35pm

Another NRO in making? God save Pakistan.

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Ch. K. A. Nye

Mar 29, 2017 06:15pm

@Make Pakistan great It's known as Mukh Mukha great sb.

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WASEEM

Mar 29, 2017 06:41pm

corrupt leaders support each other and suck blood of a poor nation ruthlessly.

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KaMAL

Mar 29, 2017 06:43pm

In Pakistan nobody gets punished for corruption and for that matter in case of any wrong doings. It is a drama for public consumption.

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Seriously?

Mar 29, 2017 06:51pm

Has he been declared Not Guilty?

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Ch. K. A. Nye

Mar 29, 2017 06:55pm

@Make Pakistan great It's known as Mukh Mukha great sb.

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Jaleel U Rahman

Mar 29, 2017 07:02pm

God bless Pakistan.

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Ch. K. A. Nye

Mar 29, 2017 07:06pm

@Make Pakistan great It's known as Mukh Mukha great sb.

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Ch. K. A. Nye

Mar 29, 2017 07:07pm

@Dr No Sir no NRO - that was forced upon us by the USofA to ensure that their brand of democracy prevails.

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Habib

Mar 29, 2017 07:18pm

This is a brilliant outcome of Misaq-e-Jamhoriat, a.k.a. "Muk Muka Siasat". Both PMLN and PPP are the flip side of the coin and the name of the coin is "corruption".

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Desi

Mar 29, 2017 07:38pm

When is leaving for Dubai?

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Mar 29, 2017 07:37pm

@Habib Spot on sir!

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Sameer

Mar 29, 2017 07:46pm

No justice

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Aamir

Mar 29, 2017 07:48pm

@Ali abbas If he is innocent then question is on who arrested him.

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Aamir

Mar 29, 2017 07:53pm

Mushurraf, haqaqni and now Asim, why all karaciites are being tried only. No question is being raised on powerful elites who have corrupted this country in real sense.

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M.Saeed

Mar 29, 2017 08:06pm

@Aamir: Why you forget the ring leader operating from London?

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The end is near

Mar 29, 2017 08:11pm

Dr. Asim is not innocent. Where is the result of the most Important Panama leaks case? Pakistani nation is waiting and can not forget.

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M. Ahmed

Mar 29, 2017 08:27pm

Bottom line is, corruption is rewarded in Pakistan.

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M Mirza

Mar 29, 2017 09:06pm

Zardari is abck, Sharjeel Memon is back, DR Asim has been released . Soon Kaka and Murai will also sneak in. Long live new NRO, Long Live Establishment. Poor MQM.

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Mar 29, 2017 09:15pm

For Rs 450bn SCAM, he got bail in Just Rs 0.005 Bn. Where is justice. Do we really have intent to get justice

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Ehsan Mani

Mar 29, 2017 09:24pm

All indicates to a 'deal' having been done

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imran ali

Mar 29, 2017 09:27pm

Dr. Azim released on bail for than 4 billion corruption,Sarjeel Memon returned from Dubai visit,

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Mukhtar

Mar 29, 2017 10:11pm

For a change long awaited drama is over. PML N wanted PPP to teachnthem lesson. One and half year detension with full authority the end result is zero. How can you grant bail when a person is involved in Rs 450 billion scam

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NONAME

Mar 30, 2017 02:51am

This kind of justice can be witnessed in Pakistan only. Criminal activities would become a norm as long as suspected criminals continue seeking political shelter.

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Shan

Mar 30, 2017 03:03am

ThankGod that in Pakistan rich and powerful can still have some life. I was starting to get worried but now I am feeling much relaxed. Good decision by the authorities.

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flipflop

Mar 30, 2017 06:38am

From where did he get 50 lakhs to pay for his bail ? Why can't he get treated in Pakistan ? Do we lack machines, doctors, nurses, facilities ? What exactly he needs to be treated for that is only available in a foreign country ? What country is he going to and where will he be staying ? 10/10 its either UK, US, or Dubai. After all these three countries tend to harbour all our politicians and their properties.

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saeed

Mar 30, 2017 07:22am

Release without sentence???? What a joke!!!!!!

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qamberali

Mar 30, 2017 02:24pm

he was arrested by rangers, remained in police custody and then NAB got hold of him. still he could not be convicted and was granted bail. great story

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