Former prime minister Yousuf Raza Gilani tests positive for Covid-19

Published June 13, 2020
Gilani had appeared for a hearing at an Accountability Court in Rawalpindi recently. — File photo
Gilani had appeared for a hearing at an Accountability Court in Rawalpindi recently. — File photo

Former prime minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has tested positive for the coronavirus, his son Kasim Gilani revealed on Saturday.

In a tweet, Kasim Gilani said that his father's Covid-19 test had come back positive and that he blamed Prime Minister Imran Khan and the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) for his father's infection.

"Thank you Imran Khan’s government and National Accountability Bureau! You have successfully put my father’s life in danger."

The former premier had appeared in a NAB hearing in Rawalpindi on Thursday in a reference that accused him, PML-N supreme leader Nawaz Sharif and PPP co-chairperson Asif Ali Zardari of receiving luxury vehicles and gifts from Toshakhana.

Gilani requested the judge that since a number of lawmakers had tested positive for Covid-19, he may be given permanent exemption from personal attendance in the court.

The reference was filed in the accountability court on March 2. The NAB reference alleged that Zardari and Sharif had obtained cars from Toshakhana by paying 15 per cent of the price of the cars. The bureau further alleged that Gilani had facilitated them in this regard.

Gilani is the latest politician to contract the virus. Earlier this week, a number of members from the PML-N and PTI also tested positive for coronavirus.

PML-N President and Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif isolated himself at his home after testing positive for the virus. President of PTI Karachi chapter and member Sindh Assembly Khurram Sher Zaman also revealed he had tested positive for Covid-19 on the same day.

Former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and incumbent Railways Minister Sheikh Rashid tested positive for the novel coronavirus on Monday.

Pakistan has reported 132,405 cases of the virus since its first case on Feb 26. So far the virus has killed 2,551 people in the country while more than 50,000 have recovered from the disease.

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