Leader of the Opposition in National Assembly and PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday returned to the country from London where he had been looking after his ailing brother Mian Nawaz Sharif for the last four months. On return, he vowed to fight off coronavirus with the help of the public.

The PML-N president’s plane landed at Islamabad International Airport at 05:30am via PIA flight PK-786. Later he drove to Lahore through Motorway and reached his Model Town residence, where he straight went into 'self-isolation'.

A large number of PML-N leaders and workers welcomed their leader in Islamabad as well as in Lahore.

After landing in Islamabad, Shehbaz Sharif in a twitter post urged the people to adopt social distancing and to go for self-isolation if the need arises. “Just landed in Islamabad – maintain a distance from one another and try to stay at your homes so that none of us is forced to part with our loved ones due to this virus”

https://twitter.com/CMShehbaz/status/1241522441916231687

Shehbaz said he decided to return after Pakistan government’s decision to suspend international flights for two weeks as part of its measures to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

In a video message before his departure, Shehbaz said coronavirus has wreaked havoc in Pakistan and around the world. He said he was staying in London for Nawaz’s scheduled heart intervention but upon hearing about the government’s decision to suspend international flights, he had sought his elder brother’s advice.

Shehbaz said he decided to return after Nawaz advised him to go to Pakistan. “Being a Pakistani, leader of the opposition and a political figure, it is my duty to return to the country,” he added.

https://twitter.com/CMShehbaz/status/1241379804198420487

Shehbaz Sharif had left for London in November last year along with Nawaz Sharif, who was allowed to travel abroad to seek medical treatment.

Last year, Shehbaz stepped down as Public Account Committee chief and nominated PML-N MNA from Sheikhupura Rana Tanvir Hussain as his replacement.

In 2018, NAB Lahore had arrested Shehbaz Sharif in Aashyana company case. In the Ashiyana housing scam, Shehbaz had been accused of ordering cancellation of a contract given to a successful bidder for the low-cost housing scheme, resulting in a loss of Rs193 million to the national exchequer.