I will be back, says Dr Asim before leaving for London

KARACHI: Dr Asim Hussain left for London from Jinnah International Airport on Sunday. 

Speaking to Geo News before his departure, Dr Asim said Pakistan is his home and he will return shortly. 

The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader, who is out on bail in two cases of corruption and one of terrorists' facilitation, recently managed to get his name struck off the Exit Control List (ECL). 

Dr Asim, a former petroleum minister and close aide of PPP supremo Asif Ali Zardari, had approached the Supreme Court to be allowed to travel abroad for medical treatment. 

Sources said Dr Asim, was present in the departure lounge and was accompanied by his mother, daughter and son-in-law. However, it is unsure if any family members travelled with him. 

Dr Asim was expected to proceed to London via Dubai in an Emirates flight.  

On August 29, the Supreme Court ordered the relevant authorities to remove Dr Asim's name from the ECL, overturning an earlier Sindh High Court ruling. His name was placed on the ECL in November 2015.

Asim has been allowed to leave for abroad for one month for medical treatment and had to submit a surety of Rs6 million.

Dr Asim faces trial in two cases of alleged corruption of over Rs450 billion and another of allegedly facilitating and treating terrorists at his medical facility — Dr Ziauddin Hospital.

He was released from the sub-jail at the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre in Karachi on March 31 this year after obtaining bail in all the cases lodged against him.

He was initially arrested by the Rangers in August 2015 and then transferred into police custody.