PML-N President and Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif has tested positive for coronavirus, party spokesperson Marriyum Aurangzeb confirmed on Thursday.
Shehbaz, 69, a cancer survivor, is isolating at home, Aurangzeb said, adding that the PML-N leader was following his doctors' advice on how to fight the infection.
Speaking to a private channel, PML-N representative Ata Tarar revealed that Shehbaz had himself tested for COVID-19 after showing mild symptoms of the infection. He said that the result of the test came back positive on June 10, at 4pm.
"He was summoned on June 9 at NAB. We kept saying he is a cancer survivor, and even if you do want to conduct investigation then do so via video link. However, this is blind political vendetta," he said.
In response to a question about the former Punjab chief minister traveling with hundreds of PML-N workers and not paying heed to social distancing protocols, Tarar said that he had appealed to the party's supporters to remain indoors and not gather at public places.
"It wasn't an official call from the party [for them to come out]," he said. "We wanted to avoid this situation. I want to say on record that if God forbid, anything were to happen to him, NAB and Imran Niazi will be held responsible."
Tarar said that the party had submitted in writing that the PML-N president was a cancer survivor hence his life was at risk from the infection.
Reiterating that there was no need for Shehbaz to appear in person for the investigations, Tarar said that the party had requested that the PML-N leader be allowed to answer questions via video link to ensure he remained safe from the virus.
