Pakistan: Opposition leader recovers from COVID-19

By Aamir Latif

KARACHI, Pakistan (AA) – Pakistan's main opposition leader Shehbaz Sharif has recovered from coronavirus after a weeks-long battle, the party announced on Sunday.

Sharif, the president of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), tested positive for the novel virus last month.

"By the grace of Allah, and nation's prayers, President, Pakistan Muslim League (N), Shehbaz Sharif's (latest) coronavirus test result is negative," party's spokeswoman Marriyum Aurungzeb said on Twitter.

The doctors, she said, advised Shehbaz, who previously served the country's largest Punjab province as its chief minister thrice, to get his antibodies tests done for three weeks.

Shehbaz, a younger brother of three-time Premier Nawaz Sharif, is facing a slew of cases pertaining to money laundering, corruption, and misuse of authorities.

The country's corruption watchdog tried to arrest him in a money laundering case last month, however he was granted bail by the Lahore High Court until July 9.

The opposition leader, who denies the charges, had been in custody for months for his alleged involvement in a housing scandal in 2018-19. He has been on bail in the case since February last year.