LAHORE: Incarcerated Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Shehbaz Sharif on Friday received the first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine at the Kot Lakhpat jail.
Shehbaz was vaccinated against coronavirus by the medical team of Jinnah Hospital, which visited the Kot Lakhpat jail. The team was led by MS Jinnah Hospital. The PML-N president will receive the next dose of the Sinopham Covid-19 vaccine after 21 days.
It is to be noted that the current vaccination of Pakistan citizens of 60 or over 60 years is underway. Prime Minister Imran Khan, former prime minister Yousuf Raza Gillani, Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed, Governor Punjab, Chaudhry Sarwar, Sindh Health Minister Azra Fazl Pechucho and other government officials have received the vaccine jabs.
The UK strain of the deadly virus is rapidly spreading in Pakistan, over which the National Command Operation Centre (NCOC) has slapped tougher restrictions.
The latest statistics of the NCOC showed the Covid-19 has claimed 63 more lives and 4,368 fresh infections were reported during the period.
Moreover, Shehbaz on Friday moved to the Lahore High Court (LHC) to get bail in the money laundering reference.
Shehbaz submitted his bail petition in money laundering reference through his counsel Amjad Pervaiz in which the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and others were made parties.
It was stated in the petition that the money laundering reference had been filed while the trial of the case was also continued in the accountability court that will take a long time.
Sharif stated that he was kept in jail for months and it will take time to conclude the trial in the case.
The PML-N president further stated that all records are with the anti-corruption watchdog and no recovery was due to be made in the case.
It read that Shehbaz could not fulfil his constitutional responsibilities as the opposition leader due to being jailed. He is continuously attending the hearing, hence the court is requested to issue his release on bail, it added.
An accountability court in Lahore a day earlier had directed the Punjab government to administer the coronavirus vaccine jabs to Pakistan PML-N President and National Assembly (NA) Opposition Leader Shehbaz within two days.
Judge Jawadul Hassan had resumed hearing in the Ramzan Sugar Mills case with Shehbaz and his son Punjab Assembly Opposition Leader Hamza Shehbaz in attendance.
During the proceedings, Shehbaz had said that he would be 70 this year. He inquired about the health of the accountability judge and had said: “A medical board was constituted on the orders of the respected judge. One month ago, tests were conducted but I did not get the results to this day.”
At this, the court had ordered Punjab Chief Secretary Jawad Rafique Malik and the medical board to provide the report to Shehbaz.
The PML-N president was brought from prison as the court heard witnesses and the cross-examination of the defence counsel.
The accountability judge had also reprimanded Inland Revenue Deputy Commissioner Tanveer Hussain for going offline while testifying in the case.
The judge had told him to leave his office knowledge at home since he was just a witness in the court.
A number of PML-N supporters had come to the court premises to show solidarity with Shehbaz and Hamza.
On November 11, an accountability court had indicted Shehbaz, his son Hamza, daughter and other family members in a money-laundering reference filed by the NAB.
NAB had accused Shehbaz formed 13 new Benami companies under the banner of Sharif Group of Companies and laundered Rs2,400 million through these flimsy companies.
An investigation into money laundering charges against the PML-N president and members of his family had revealed that Shehbaz’s assets increased from Rs14.86 million to Rs7,328 million in the past 20 years.
Shehbaz made properties worth Rs619.85 million which include three homes; 96-H Model Town residence, Defence house and Doonga Gali house.
The declared assets by the PML-N president and his family in the year 2018 had gone up to Rs584 million while the latter had also succeeded in forming a proper money laundering set up in 2018.
