Shehbaz Sharif tests positive for Covid-19

The PML-N president had appeared before NAB two days ago in two graft cases against him

Opposition Leader in National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif tested positive for the coronavirus on Thursday. The PML-N president has quarantined himself at his residence in Model Town, Lahore.

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) stalwart Attaullah Tarar, who recovered from the virus last week, requested prayers from the nation for Shehbaz's speedy recovery. Several other PML-N leaders have also been diagnosed with the coronavirus.

Tarar claimed that Shehbaz had not met anyone except for his appearance before the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on June 9.

He lamented that the PML-N president had informed the anti-graft watchdog several times in writing of his ill health and compromised immune system. Tarar said that, "NAB and Imran Niazi will be responsible if anything happens to Shehbaz Sharif".

He added that NAB was urged to correspond through video link but the bureau insisted on summoning Shehbaz in person.

Earlier this month, NAB had raided  Shehbaz's residence in Model Town after Shehbaz failed to appear before the anti-graft watchdog despite three consecutive summons in the assets beyond means and money laundering cases against him.

Shehbaz had reportedly written to NAB citing health concerns for not going to the bureau's office.

The following day, the Lahore High Court granted pre-arrest bail to Shehbaz, and restricted NAB from arresting him till June 17 in these two cases.

Over 119,000 persons across the country have tested positive for the coronavirus while at least 2,356 persons have succumbed to the disease.

Several politicians, including members of the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, have also tested positive for the virus.

PTI member in Sindh Assembly Khurrum Sher Zaman also tested positive for the virus. In a tweet, he said that he had been in self-isolation for the past five days as he was unwell and his Covid-19 test has come out positive.

طبیعت خراب ہونے کی وجہ سے خود کو پچھلے پانچ دن سے کورنٹائن کیا ہوا تھا اور آج ٹیسٹ کروایا تو میرا رزلٹ مثبت آیا ہے.

— Khurrum Sher Zaman NA241🇵🇰 (@KhurumSherZaman) June 10, 2020

Zaman had been critical of a lockdown to curb the spread of the virus in Sindh and had vowed to oppose such measures if they were enforced by the Pakistan Peoples Party-led provincial government.

On Monday, Federal Minister Sheikh Rasheed and former premier Shahid Khaqan Abbasi also tested positive for the virus.

On June 9, PML-N spokesperson Murriyum Aurangzeb also tested positive for the virus, along with her mother.