ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court on Tuesday granted bail to former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in the al-Azizia corruption reference, suspending his sentence for eight weeks on medical grounds.

A two-member judge bench comprising Justice Amir Farooq and Mohsin Akhtar Kayani reserved the verdict earlier today on the plea filed by Shehbaz Sharif seeking the suspension of his brother’s sentence in the case.

In its verdict, the high court ordered that if Sharif’s condition does not improve in eight weeks, then the Punjab provincial government should be approached for a bail extension. The former prime minister was asked to submit two bail bonds worth Rs2 million.

The court in the same case had granted the former premier bail on Saturday.

According to Nawaz’s personal physician, Dr Adnan, the former prime minister is in a critical condition, suffering from ‘Thrombocytopenia (low platelet count) & NSTEMI (heart attack),’ made further complicated by his kidney issues.

Sharif has already been granted bail in the Chaudhry Sugar Mills case from the Lahore High Court.