Nawaz Sharif to return to Pakistan next month, says PM Shehbaz Sharif

Nawaz Sharif has been in self-imposed exile in London since November 2019 owing to health reasons. The 73-year-old was serving a seven-year jail term in Lahore's Kot Lakhpat Jail when the high court allowed him to leave the country on medical grounds in November 2019

As Pakistan gears up for the general elections that would likely take place towards the end of this year, outgoing Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has said that his elder brother and former PM Nawaz Sharif would return next month.

Talking to Geo News, Shehbaz on Thursday (Aug 10) said that Nawaz would lead the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) campaign in the upcoming polls.

He added that he would be travelling to London to meet his elder brother Nawaz as soon as the caretaker government takes charge.

“Nawaz Sharif will come back to Pakistan next month and will face the law and lead the election campaign,” he said, without giving the exact date of Nawaz’s homecoming.

Nawaz Sharif has been in self-imposed exile in London since November 2019 owing to health reasons.

The 73-year-old was serving a seven-year jail term in Lahore's Kot Lakhpat Jail when the high court allowed him to leave the country on medical grounds in November 2019.

The three-time premiere was disqualified by the Supreme Court in 2017 over the Panama Papers case. The PML-N has repeatedly contested that Nawaz was unjustly disqualified.

Ever since the PML-N came to power, there have been talks of Nawaz returning to Pakistan. Speculations have also been rife about Nawaz contesting for the premiership in this year’s general elections.

His appeals against the conviction are currently pending in the relevant courts.

Shehbaz indicated that his brother Nawaz would fight the upcoming general elections as a contender for the top post, and added that he will work as an activist of the party under the Nawaz-led government.

“He [Nawaz] will neither wear a hat nor a bucket,” PM Shehbaz said in the interview while taking a jibe at Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan who dons a bulletproof helmet while appearing for court hearings.

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On August 9, the 16-month coalition government of Shehbaz Sharif dissolved, paving the way for a caretaker government to take over.

Also read | Diplomatic cables reveal US pressured Pakistan to remove Imran Khan

The Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), one of the coalition partners in the multi-party alliance, dissolved the assembly three days before its constitutional completion to allow the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to hold general elections in the country within 90 days instead of 60 days stipulated time period if legislature completes its term.

But the general elections are likely to be delayed as the Council of Common Interests (CCI) approved the 2023 census, requiring the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to carry out fresh delimitation — an exercise likely to take three to four months.

(With inputs from agencies)

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