An accountability court on Monday granted permission to former petroleum minister Dr Asim Hussain to visit abroad for medical treatment.
Dr Asim could visit out of the country for medical treatment till April 27, the court said in its order. Dr Asim Hussain and other accused were present in the court during hearing of a corruption reference against them. The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) prosecutor informed the court that Ishtiaq Hussain, a witness in the reference, could not appear in the hearing owing to his illness. The defence lawyer refused to cross examine the investigation officer before the statement of the witness. “Cross examination of the witness is necessary before the IO,” Dr Asim’s counsel said.
The court ordered the recording statement of the witness on the video link and adjourned further hearing of the case until April 27.
An accountability court in 2017 had indicted Dr Asim Hussain, ex-petroleum secretary Ejaz Chaudhry and others in an over Rs460 billion corruption reference. Dr Hussain was taken into custody on August 26, 2015, by Rangers on various corruption charges.
