KARACHI, Aug 18: The Sindh High Court allowed Asif Ali Zardari on Wednesday to stay on in Karachi till Aug 31 pending hearing of his plea for permanent transfer to a city hospital for treatment of his spinal chord problem.
A division bench, comprising Justices Wahid Bux Brohi and Rehmat Hussain Jaferi, had asked a provincial government law officer on the last date to find out whether the treatment of the former federal minister's ailment was available only at Ziauddin Hospital, Karachi.
Mr Zardari, who is facing trial for Mir Murtaza Bhutto's murder here, has moved the high court for his shifting from the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), Islamabad, to a Karachi hospital for his treatment. Also facing trial before an Attock accountability court, he was transferred from the Adiala Jail to the PIMS in view of his ailment.
Assistant Advocate-General Habib Ahmed informed the division bench on Wednesday that he has received a letter from the provincial home department, which he would place on record. However, it did not contain complete information and more time was needed to comprehensively answer the court query. He sought adjournment for a detailed reply.
The petitioner's counsel, Farooq H. Naek and Akhtar Hussain, had no objection to adjournment and the bench allowed the AAG's request. The petitioner, meanwhile, was allowed stay in Karachi till Aug 31.
NOTICES ISSUED: The Sindh High Court issued notices to a federal attorney and a naval official in a petition alleging illegal detention of a retired navy official as a hostage.
The petitioner, Ms Nusrat Hakim, alleged that her husband, Abdul Hakim, a former navy official, went to see his business partner Nazar Hussain, chief petty officer at Karsaz, on Aug 9 but never returned home.
Nazar Hussain first denied any knowledge of Abdul Hakim's whereabouts but later arranged a conversation with him. Hakim advised her not to lodge an FIR against the respondent. It was evident from his voice that he had been tortured.
The petitioner apprehended that her husband might be further harmed as no contact could be made with him. Citing the defence secretary also as a respondent, she requested the court to order the production and release of Hakim.
A division bench, comprising Chief Justice Saiyed Saeed Ashhad and Justice Zawwar Hussain Jaffery, directed that notices in the petition be issued to respondent Nazar Hussain and a deputy attorney-general for Aug 24.