Nawaz Sharif released on bail

Lahore: The Islamabad High Court on Friday bailed former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on humanitarian grounds paving the way for his release from jail where he is serving seven years for corruption.

The decision by a division bench comprising Justice Athar Minallah and Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kiyani came a day after the Lahore High Court approved his bail indefinitely on medical grounds in another case, days after he was taken to hospital from prison where he is serving seven years for corruption.

The Lahore High Court granted Sharif — who was PM three times before he was ousted over corruption allegations in 2017 — bail at 10 million Pakistani rupees ($63,900) on medical grounds “for an indefinite period”, a court official told AFP.

The ruling had come after doctors confirmed Sharif was suffering from an autoimmune blood disorder requiring immediate medical attention.

It was not immediately clear where Sharif would receive treatment or how severe his condition is.

The 69-year-old was taken to hospital on Tuesday when his blood platelet count dropped to dangerous levels, local media reported.

The Supreme Court disqualified Sharif from politics for life over graft allegations in 2017, and he later received a seven-year jail sentence.