Shahbaz leaves for ‘quick visit’ to London

ISLAMABAD: The leader of the opposition in the National Assembly Shahbaz Sharif let for London on Wednesday ater he was granted bail and his name was removed from the Exit Control List (ECL).

He departed for Britain to consult his doctors and inquire about the health of the newborn daughter of his son, Hamza. The baby developed serious health issues during the birth.

A multiple-entry visa for Britain was issued to Shahbaz and his wife. He also obtained visas for his mother and four of his staff members.

Earlier, he announced that he was set for a ‘quick visit’ to London to meet his grandchildren and for a medical check-up.

He took to Twiter, saying that “because of judicial grace exercised by the honourable courts, I am now on bail and my name has been taken off the ECL.”

He added that in these circumstances, he was going to take a quick visit to London to see his grandchildren and go through his own medical check-up and return soon.

The Pakistan Muslim League-nawaz (PML-N) President lamented missing out on the birth of two of his grandchildren.

He said he was unable to see them till now because of his detention and his name being on ECL.

The federal government had removed Sharif from the no-fly list on April 4 on the order of the high court.

The opposition leader is accused of money laundering, having assets beyond means and misuse of authority in different cases.

In a separate development, a senior defence counsel in the Ashiana housing scheme case appearing before the Supreme Court objected to the pleading of case by Jahanzaib Bharwana as additional prosecutor general of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), arguing that “he was legal adviser of the same company that had awarded the scheme.”

Bharwana was the legal adviser of the Punjab Land Development Company (PLDC), which had awarded the contract to develop the Ashiana housing scheme, counsel Ali Raza told a three-judge bench, headed by Justice Sheikh Azmat Saeed.