Former military ruler of Pakistan Pervez Musharraf, who is currently facing a treason trial, approached the Supreme Court yesterday to ask for permission to go abroad for treatment of a spinal ailment.
Along with a hurriedly-moved application through his counsel Chaudhry Faisal Hussain, Musharraf has submitted a number of medical reports including X-rays, CT scans and an MRI conducted in April 2014, showing an acute problem in his spine.
This is the second such application moved by the retired general one was moved in December 2014 seeking permission from the apex court to travel abroad.
The last time he wanted to see his ailing mother who was being treated at a hospital in the UAE. The earlier application, though taken up by the apex court, is still pending.
Through a fresh application, the former president has recalled that a private medical board, consisting of top neuro and orthopaedic surgeons from Karachi had, in their report of May 4, 2014, confirmed that he was suffering from a fracture of the vertebra.
The report suggested that the treatment for this ailment was not available in Pakistan and such surgeries had to be performed in Dubai, North America or Europe, the application pleaded.
Over the last two years, Musharraf’s condition had been deteriorating, but things took a turn for the worse on February 11, when the former president had to be rushed to PNS Shifa in Karachi.
Subsequently, on February 18, he complained of a severe pain in his lower back and numbness in the left leg. Dr Imtiaz Hashmi, a leading consultant and orthopaedic spinal surgeon who has been treating Musharraf since 2011, was rushed to his home.
However, his condition worsened and he had to be brought to PNS Shifa again on February 24, where he collapsed while on his way to the restroom.
The application maintained that the tests conducted on February 24-25 indicated that emergency surgery had to be performed to repair the vertebral fracture and avoid serious complications.