Daily Times

Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb announced on Tuesday that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who has been ill for the past few days, has been diagnosed with Covid-19.

In a tweet, the federal minister said PM Shehbaz was unwell for the last two days, and after consulting the doctors, he got tested for coronavirus.

The minister pleaded with the people and PML-N members to pray for the health of the prime minister, who is also a cancer survivor.

This is the third time the prime minister has tested positive for the virus. He had previously contracted Covid-19 earlier this year in January and in June 2020.

Earlier on Monday, Prime minister Shehbaz Sharif returned to Pakistan from London.

After attending the 27th session of the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP27) in Sharm Al Sheikh, Egypt, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif left for London for a private visit.

Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb announced on Twitter the PM’s trip, stating that the premier had left for the United Kingdom on a private plane for a private visit.

PM Shehbaz, according to sources, will consult with Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif on important issues in London, in which various issues including the current domestic political situation will be discussed.

The PM and the PML-N chief are also expected to discuss rival party chief Imran Khan’s march toward the capital as well.

Sources are also anticipating that PM Shehbaz’s private visit to London may last more than a day.

This is the prime minister’s second visit to the city since September when he met with Nawaz a day after arriving in London to attend the state funeral of the late Queen Elizabeth II.

After the prime minister’s previous visit, Ishaq Dar had taken over as Pakistan’s finance minister again in a desperate move by the bigwigs of the PML-N not only to revive the country’s faltering economy but to regain its lost political capital ahead of the next general elections.