LAHORE: An accountability court seized with Ashiana-i-Iqbal Housing Scheme and Ramzan Sugar Mills cases was told on Tuesday that the pleader attending proceedings on behalf of Leader of Opposition in National Assembly Shahbaz Sharif tested positive for Covid-19.

The court had previously exempted Mr Sharif from personal appearance in the proceedings and a pleader, Nawaz Chaudhry, was appointed to appear on his behalf.

As Presiding Judge Amjad Nazir Chaudhry resumed the Tuesday’s hearing, a lawyer stated that the pleader could not appear before the court since he tested positive for the coronavirus and had been quarantined.

The lawyer submitted an application for exemption, along with medical report of the pleader.

The judge allowed the application and adjourned hearing of both cases till June 5. The judge also issued notice to the NAB on acquittal application of Imtiaz Haider, a co-suspect in the housing scheme case.

Other suspects in the case are former principal secretary to prime minister Fawad Hassan Fawad and former director general of Lahore Development Authority Ahad Khan Cheema.

In the sugar mills case, the jail officials did not produce Mr Sharif’s son Hamza Shahbaz, Leader of Opposition in Punjab Assembly, in view of the measures adopted during the lockdown.

Published in Dawn, May 13th, 2020