Pakistani court grants bail to ailing former PM

A Pakistani court granted bail on Friday to jailed former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on medical grounds, a lawyer for Sharif said.

Sharif, 69, a three-time prime minister, is serving a seven-year prison sentence after a conviction for corruption last year. He denied the charges, which he said were politically motivated.

He was taken from his prison cell to hospital in the city of Lahore on Monday and his party raised a concern about his health.

“We applied for bail because his health conditions were deteriorating and that he needs better treatment,” his lawyer, Azam Nazir Tarar, told Reuters after the Friday ruling in Lahore.

“The court accepted our request and granted bail.”

The health minister for the province of Punjab, Yasmin Rashid, said on Friday Sharif was believed to be suffering from an immune system disorder and his condition was stable. The government had said this week Sharif was suffering from a low blood platelet level, perhaps from taking a certain medication.