ISLAMABAD: The federal government has asked former prime minister Nawaz Sharif to deposit indemnity bonds worth seven billion rupees before leaving the country for four weeks.

Addressing the press conference after meeting of the sub-committee in Islamabad, Minister for Law Farogh Naseem said Nawaz Sharif had initially been given permission to go abroad for treatment for four weeks, however this time period could be extended later viewing the health condition.

He said the former PM would have to deposit surety bonds of Rs7 billion in this regard. He said the sub-committee had informed the federal cabinet that he was critically unwell. The decision has been taken on humanitarian ground and the permission letter would be issued in this regard anytime today, he maintained.

“It has also been decided that Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) President Shahbaz Sharif, who had appealed for the permission, will have to submit an indemnity bond to the tune of around seven billion rupees to avail the concession,” he said.

On Nov 12, Federal Cabinet’s sub-committee had reserved its decision regarding the removal of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif from the Exit Control List.

Talking to private television channels, the head of the sub-committee, Minister for Law Farogh Naseem, had said final decision regarding removal of Nawaz Sharif’s name from the ECL rested with the federal cabinet.

He, however, had assured that the decision would be taken purely on merit.

The sub-committee held various sessions on Tuesday to draw up recommendations on the matter. The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) had said that it had no objection on Nawaz Sharif’s going for treatment abroad on humanitarian basis, local media had quoted sources as saying.