Shehbaz Sharif seeks exemption from NAB proceedings amid COVID-19

LAHORE: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Shehbaz Sharif on Friday asked National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to exempt him from personal appearances in assets beyond means case until coronavirus lockdown is over, ARY NEWS reported.

“I am a cancer survivor and aged 69,” he said while seeking the exemption citing his doctors’ recommendation who had advised him against any travelling during the pandemic.

Shehbaz Sharif said that he should be given more time to submit his written replies and appear personally at the bureau.

“NAB has already screened my assets several times,” he said adding that he had responded to all queries regarding his assets during his arrest at the hands of NAB previously.

He also expressed his regret over NAB’s response to declare his replies to a NAB questionnaire as unsatisfactory.

It is pertinent to mention here that Shehbaz Sharif skipped National Accountability Bureau (NAB) appearance on Friday amid coronavirus outbreak.

The younger Sharif was asked to appear before the NAB in ongoing money laundering probe against him.

According to party’s spokesperson Attaullah Tarar, Sharif is a cancer survivor and his health does not permit him to appear before the corruption watchdog amid the current situation of coronavirus.

In response to the summons, Tarar maintained that Sharif has submitted his written reply to NAB in this regard, adding that the opposition leader was earlier detained for 130 days out of which he spent 61 days under NAB custody where he was interrogated in detail.