PPP leader Dr Asim Hussain, a close aide of former president Asif Ali Zardari, on Monday filed a petition in the Supreme Court asking for the removal of his name from the Exit Control List (ECL) so that he may travel abroad for medical treatment.

The petition states that Hussain is fighting "a number of health conditions" and highlights the 'urgency' with which he needs medical care.

The former minister has reportedly been undergoing treatment for a cardiovascular ailment.

The petition, filed by Dr Hussain's counsel, Barrister Latif Khosa, also points out that the PPP leader has already been granted bail by the Sindh High Court (SHC) and anti-terrorism courts.

In March, the Sindh High court had granted bail to the PPP leader in two corruption references filed by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).

On the same day, an anti-terrorism court issued a release order for the former federal minister in a case relating to the alleged treatment of terrorists at Ziauddin Hospital, where the accused is the deputy managing director.

NAB had 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 was eventually released from prison on March 31 after 19 months in detention.

He had filed a request at the SHC for the removal of his name from the ECL. However, the plea was rejected on June 5.