Pakistani court orders release of opposition leader on bail

A Pakistani court has ordered the release of opposition leader Shahbaz Sharif on bail, months after he was arrested over alleged links to a multi-million dollar housing scam.

Thursday’s court order was announced in the eastern city of Lahore.

Sharif was arrested in October on charges that he abused power during his tenure as the chief minister of Punjab from 2013 to 2018.

Pakistan’s anti-graft body claims he influenced authorities to award contracts for a housing program for low-income citizens to a company with which he had political connections.

Sharif, who is leader of the opposition in the National Assembly, or lower house of parliament, denies any wrongdoing.

He is the younger brother of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, who was disqualified from office in 2017 over corruption charges.

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