Govt. allows Nawaz to travel abroad

The federal government decided on Wednesday to let former premier Nawaz Sharif travel abroad for treatment but he will have to deposit Rs7 billion surety bonds before leaving the country.

The decision was announced by Law Minister Farogh Naseem at a press conference in Islamabad. Naseem heads the sub-committee of the federal cabinet which was looking at legal aspects of the ex-premier’s departure abroad.

“Nawaz Sharif can go abroad by giving Rs7 billion bonds,” Naseem said at the presser. “The cabinet decided that Nawaz will have to deposit surety bonds.”

The government decided to permit Nawaz to stay outside the country for four weeks.

Ailing former premier Nawaz was granted interim bail on October 26 by the Islamabad High Court in the Al-Azizia corruption reference on medical grounds. The bail was approved after the National Accountability Bureau decided not to oppose it.