LHC extends Shahbaz Sharif’s bail till July 7

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Monday directed opposition leader in National Assembly Shahbaz Sharif to get his COVID-19 test conducted from the Institute of Public Health Sciences (IPHS). A two-judge bench comprising Justice Sardar Ahmad Naeem and Justice Farooq Haider issued the direction while hearing pre-arrest bail petition of Shahbaz in an inquiry of assets beyond meansagainst him by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB). The high court had first granted pre-arrest bail to the leader of opposition on June 3; however, he failed to personally appear on subsequent hearing as he tested positive for the coronavirus.

During Monday’s hearing, Advocate Amjad Pervez, the counsel for Shahbaz, told the bench that his client was still in isolation due to the virus. He said that Shahbaz Sharif, being a cancer patient, showed slow recovery from the infection as he still had symptoms after 14-day quarantine.

However, the bench observed that how the petitioner could be deemed COVID-19 patient in the absence of his latest test. To a court query, the counsel said Shaukat Khanum and Zeenat laboratories were conducting COVID-19 test in Lahore. However, he said, Shaukat Khanum Laboratory might not feel good to conduct test of the Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) president.

NAB Prosecutor Faisal Bokhari stated that the petitioner was supposed to get his test conducted on June 25. He pointed out that the petitioner had not so far signed his surety bonds against the bail granted to him on June 3. He asked the bench to hear arguments from both aides and decide the bail petition in the absence of the petitioner.

The bench extended the bail to Shahbaz till July 7 and directed him to get his COVID-19 test conducted from the Institute of Public Health Sciences. The bench also allowed the petitioner to sign the bonds on the next hearing.