LHC extends Sharif’s bail till 23rd in assets beyond means case

LAHORE : The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Thursday extended the interim bail of President Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Shehbaz Sharif in the assets beyond means and money laundering case till July 23. The court accepted the PML-N leader’s plea to have his bail extended and agreed to postpone the hearing of the case on his request as his lawyer was not present.A two-judge bench, headed by Justice Abid Masood Naqvi, took up the bail petition of Shehbaz as he turned up in court for the first time after his recovery from coronavirus. Later, speaking to media persons, the PML-N president said he is not feeling well due to his illness. “I came because I respect the court. Politics is being played at my expense,” he said regarding the case. PML-N leaders Rana Sanaullah, Shaista Pervez Malik and others also reached the court to show solidarity with their party president. Scores of party workers reached the LHC to express solidarity with their leader in utter disregard for Covid-19 SOPs, throwing social distancing protocols to the wind. During the last hearing on July 7, Shehbaz’s counsel Amjad Pervez had told the court that the PML-N leader had tested negative for the virus. “Shehbaz Sharif is 69 years old and his antibodies test is necessary,” said Tarar, the other counsel for the PML-N president. He added that people after recovering from the virus witnessed pain for five more days, adding that his client has also complained of the same.Tarar had requested the court to extend the bail granted to Shehbaz for three more weeks as the lawyers wanted their client to appear before the court himself.