KARACHI: An accountability court on Tuesday was irked when the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Karachi President Dr Asim Hussain’s flew abroad for medical treatment without having sought permission.
Dr Asim, a close aide of former president Asif Ali Zardari travelled to London on Sunday where he will undergo disc replacement surgery.
During the hearing of Rs 462 billion corruption case against Dr Asim, the judge showed annoyance when informed that he had left the country without having obtained a no objection certificate (NOC) from the court.
Consequently, the judge sent a reference against Dr Asim to the Supreme Court and Sindh High Court.
Dr Asim’s name was removed from the Exit Control List (ECL) following Supreme Court orders on August 29. He was thus allowed to travel for medical purposes for a duration of one month.
Dr Asim’s name was placed on the ECL in November 2015 after he was charged with corruption by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).
Later, he pleaded to the apex court to grant him travel permission for medical reasons since the treatment was not available in Pakistan.