Family requests to release Qasim's passport

The family of the Leader of the Jumhooree Party, Qasim Ibrahim, currently in ICU at ADK Hospital, has requested that his passport be released so he can seek medical treatment abroad and not to communicate with Qasim outside the legal system.

Qasim, also the MP for Maamiligi constituency, was initially admitted at Medica Hospital at noon yesterday with symptoms of nausea, shortness of breath and sweating. When his condition took a turn for the worse, he was going to go to Singapore for treatment and when he arrived at Velana International Airport last night to make the journey, Immigration informed him that his passport has been withheld. Immigration said that Qasim's passport was withheld since noon.

The JP Leader's family issued a statement today saying that they learned the state of his passport when they arrived at the airport but the current law, if passport is being held in relation to court case, they accused has to be informed at the earliest possible time.

The statement from the family said that Qasim was leaving to seek medical treatment and do some tests at specialist hospital as advised by Medica Hospital and raised concerns about holding the passport while in serious medical condition.

The MP's family called to the government not to treat unjustly with Qasim and allow him to go abroad for treatment and expressed concern about the use of orders outside the judicial system.

Qasim went to the hospital yesterday while a hearing in his case was also scheduled at court. The hearing was cancelled after Qasim's condition got poor.