LAHORE: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has again summoned Opposition Leader in National Assembly Shahbaz Sharif on Wednesday (April 22) in cases of money laundering and assets beyond known means of income.

The anti-graft top watchdog has assured the former Punjab chief minister of taking care of all necessary precautions regarding coronavirus during his presence and investigation at Thokar Niaz Beg, Lahore, offices of the agency.

The investigators, NAB officials say, will keep the required social distancing during the investigation session. He too has been told to wear face mask and gloves before joining the investigation at 12 noon.

The notice says his personal appearance is necessary as the probe has entered an important stage.

Mr Sharif had skipped an earlier NAB hearing last Friday citing health reasons. In a written reply to the head of the Lahore NAB’s Combined Investigation Team, he had stated that being 69 years old and a known cancer survivor, he has low immunity and thus medical professionals have strictly advised him restricted movement and limited exposure due to life-threatening risks on account of Covid-19 pandemic.

He also said that owing to the continuing lockdown, requisite data and record as sought by the NAB was also inaccessible and requested the agency to extend time for submission of reply and exempt him from personal appearance “till lifting of lockdown and further medical advice”.

The PML-N has criticised summoning of its leader by the investigation agency.

Central spokesperson Marriyum Aurangzeb says people are dying at their homes because of coronavirus while the “NAB-Niazi nexus” is fighting against Shahbaz Sharif and the media. She says that when the world is battling against the pandemic, making joint efforts for helping the masses should be priority of a democratic government.

She argues that the N League chief, during NAB custody earlier, had already responded to all possible queries of the investigators, whereas his assets were declared each year in his returns filed with the Federal Board of Revenue as well as the Election Commission.

Published in Dawn, April 20th, 2020