Maryam, Fazl unwell, put off political activities for some days

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Vice President Maryam Nawaz and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman have postponed their political activities for the next few days owing to ill health.

The news of Maryam's ill health was confirmed by party spokesperson on Twitter on Sunday, whereas the news of JUI-F chief's health was confirmed by his son.

In a tweet from the PML-N's official account, party spokesperson Marriyum Aurganzeb said the PML-N leader had high fever and severe pain in her throat, and was hence, suspending her political activities for four days.

She added that Maryam had also been tested for Covid-19 and results were awaited.

Read Maryam Nawaz submits surety bond in LHC for bail in land allotment case

However, the PML-N leader's political secretary, Zeeshan Malik, hours later confirmed that she had tested negative for coronavirus. "Maryam Nawaz Sharif's corona test report has come out negative. She only has fever and throat infection," he maintained.

The news was soon after confirmed by Marriyum Aurangzeb too.

In the earlier tweet, the spokesperson further said that doctors had advised the PML-N leader to rest, saying she had recently appeared before the Lahore High Court (LHC) despite feeling unwell.

On the other hand, MNA Maulana Asad ur Rehman, son of Maulana Fazl, confirmed to The Express Tribune that his father had not been feeling well for the last couple of days and has suspended all his political activities.

Asad said his father was resting at his residence in Dera Ismail Khan, adding that his condition was improving.

On Saturday, Maryam visited the LHC to submit a surety bond of Rs1 million for bail in the Jati Umra land allotment case.

On March 24, the LHC granted pre-arrest bail to PML-N's de facto chief Maryam Nawaz, who was summoned by the top graft buster – the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) – on March 26 for interrogation with regard to a land allotment case.

Azam Nazir Tarar, counsel for Maryam, had argued before the court that she had been implicated in the case with mala fide intention as the matter had already been taken by a joint investigation team in another NAB reference of 2017.

Read more NAB suspends Maryam's hearing over ‘virus fears’

He had told the court that the petitioner had been remanded in custody for 48 days in connection with the reference and the impugned call-up notice had been issued to humiliate her. “The petitioner apprehends imminent arrest at the hands of NAB [during interrogation],” he said.

Tarar had also said that the superior courts have time and again given guidelines to NAB with regard to summoning an accused but the same have not been complied with and the bureau is persisting with an imperious and pernicious “thana mentality” of summoning a person without any plausible reason.

Subsequently, the division bench admitted ad-interim pre-arrest bail of Maryam Nawaz till April 12, and ordered the PML-N leader to join NAB investigation as and when required by the investigation officer and appear before this court on each and every date of hearing.

However, two days later, on March 25, the anti-graft watchdog put off the PML-N leader's March 26 hearing, citing rise in Covid-19 cases as a reason.

With additional reporting by Our Correspondent.