Nawaz Sharif moves SC for extension of 6-week bail

Pakistan's former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Tuesday sought an extension of the six-week bail granted to him by the Supreme Court on medical grounds.

In the plea Sharif said a review petition was filed in the apex court over its March 26 decision of granting the Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) leader bail for six weeks.

The plea sought an extension of Sharif's bail until a decision on the review petition. His bail will expire on May 7, Geo News reported.

Sharif had been in jail since December 2018 following his conviction in Al Azizia Steel Mills corruption reference in line with the Supreme Court's July 2017 verdict.

In December, the three-time Prime Minister was sentenced to seven years in prison after a ruling that Al-Azizia Steel Mills -- a Saudi Arabian firm carrying the name of Sharif's son -- belonged to Sharif who could not clarify how the project was funded.

He was granted bail by the top court on March 26. On April 25, Sharif submitted a review petition in the court seeking permanent bail.

The three-member bench of the Supreme Court, headed by Chief Justice Asif Saeed Khosa, will hear Sharif's petition on Friday.

--IANS

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