Cannot give a guarantee on anyone’s life

Prime Minister Imran Khan yesterday said he could not give a guarantee about anyone's life, referring to the Islamabad High Court proceedings last week in which the bench had asked government representatives to "take responsibility" for incarcerated former premier Nawaz Sharif's health.

Prime Minister Imran, while addressing the foundation stone laying ceremony of the Baba Guru Nanak University at Nankana Sahib, said: "Today I read a news that the court has asked the federal and provincial governments whether they can guarantee Nawaz Sharif's life by tomorrow.

"I cannot even guarantee my life by tomorrow, so how can I give a guarantee for someone else's life?"

On Saturday, the IHC granted Nawaz Sharif post-arrest interim bail until today in the Al Azizia reference. Nawaz is currently under treatment at Lahore Services Hospital for his low platelet count.

During the proceedings, the federal government had refused to take responsibility for Nawaz's physical well-being.

IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah had observed that if the provincial and federal governments had performed their duties, the matter would have not come before the court.

When the interior secretary had informed the IHC that the federal government would not take any responsibility of the former premier's health, the court expressed displeasure and remarked "don't play politics with [the] court" as the law defines certain responsibility of the state.