Nawaz says will return to Pakistan after treatment

• PM says he is in London for heart treatment, will return to Pakistan as soon as his doctors allow
• Lashes out at Imran Khan for ‘hampering Pakistan’s progress through protests’
• PM’s daughter Maryam says ‘there is no schism in Sharif family’

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Wednesday rejected rumours that he had left Pakistan for London due to the controversy surrounding the name of his family in the Panama Papers scandal, saying he had come to Britain for medical treatment and would return to Pakistan to serve the people as soon his doctors allow him.

Addressing reporters in London, Nawaz said that his family had done nothing illegal while engaging in business abroad.

“My family has nothing to worry about as we have not done anything illegal. I have come to London for medical treatment and will return to Pakistan to resume my official engagements soon,” he said, rejecting reports that he was under immense pressure after the Panama Papers scandal named his children as owners of three off-shore companies.

“We have always served Pakistan with honesty and commitment and I assure you that the tradition will continue with much more zeal after my treatment,” he said.

While the prime minister was all praises for the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) for turning down Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)’s offer to initiate joint protests against the PML-N, Nawaz lashed out at PTI chief Imran Khan, without naming him, saying “one person was bent upon hampering development and progress of Pakistan.”

“I have always had good relations with PPP Co-Chairman Asif Zardari,” said Nawaz, adding that character assassination of political rivals did not suit national leaders.

“I have always said that we will support the PPP in every public welfare project the party initiates,” he added.

Before departing, the PM held a meeting with Interior Minister Nisar, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar and Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif among other senior aides to discuss the implications of the Panama Papers scandal and the current political situation in the country, according to sources.

“It’s just a personal visit and Nawaz Sharif will not hold political meetings during his stay in London,” Asif Kirmani, the PM’s political secretary said.

“Nawaz will spend one week in London and would also visit his doctors for medical treatment,” added Kirmani.

Sources in the ruling party said the PM was suggested to spend a week in London to relieve his ‘stress and anxiety’ because of the situation developing after the Panama leaks.

“PM Nawaz will also spend time with his children in London,” the source added.

NO SCHISM IN SHARIF FAMILY:

Meanwhile, Nawaz’s daughter Maryam Nawaz Sharif asserted on Wednesday there is no schism in the Sharif family.

“Contrary to the conspiracy-mongers, Sharif family is neither under any stress nor is there a schism. We stand united. Alhamdolillah!” said Maryam Nawaz Sharif through her verified Twitter account. She also shared a picture on Twitter showing her father kissing his mother’s hand.

“My father reverently kisses my grandma’s hand as she surrounds him with prayers for his health before seeing him off,” she tweeted.

Earlier, Prime Minister Nawaz left for London from Lahore’s Allama Iqbal International Airport on Wednesday for a “personal and medical visit”, as Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan categorically rejected rumours of any ‘secret engagements’ of the prime minister in London saying the sole purpose of his visit to the UK is medical treatment.

The PM’s plane made a brief stop in Moscow for unknown reasons. Nisar, however, said the prime minister’s condition was so bad that he had to stop over in Moscow for a couple of hours instead of taking a direct flight to London.

Nisar said the prime minister had been facing heart problems for the past many years which had deteriorated during the last three weeks, which is why he had to travel to London; hence it should not be politicised.

He said that the prime minister repeatedly postponed the routine medical checkup due to his official engagements over the past few months owing to which his health has deteriorated to the extent that he has to stop for two hours in Moscow.

Nisar said the PM has to postpone his scheduled visit to attend the OIC conference in Turkey because of his ailment; hence his visit to London should not be viewed as an excuse to leave the country, adding that he will return to Pakistan on his doctor’s advice.

DAR AT THE HELM:

The premier’s visit comes after Finance Minister Ishaq Dar cancelled his visit to the United States on the instructions of PM Nawaz.

“In view of the prime minister’s programme to proceed to the United Kingdom for medical checkup, I have decided not to proceed to Washington to attend the Spring meetings of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF),” Dar said in an official handout issued on Tuesday.

PM’S SONS WILL ANSWER:

Talking about the controversial Panama Papers leaks, the minister said that the issue was not directly linked to the premier himself but his sons Hassan and Hussain Nawaz and that they would themselves respond to the allegations against them.

However, he warned the opposition political parties that the allegations should not be used as a political move to freeze or oust the incumbent government through undemocratic means.

He said that since the government is ready for conducting a probe into allegations over Panama Leaks by any institution of the opposition’s choice so as to take the matter to its logical end.

FORMER JUDGES WON’T HEAD THE COMMISSION AND IT’S KHAN’S FAULT:

Nisar said the government had contacted senior former judges of the Supreme Court, including former chief justices, to head the inquiry commission that will probe the Sharif family post-Panama data leaks.

He said that five former Supreme Court justices – Justice Nasirul Mulk, Justice Tasadiq Jilani, Justice Amirul Mulk Mengal, Justice Sahir Ali and Justice Tanvir Ahmad Khan had been contacted by the government to head the Panama Papers probe.

However, Nisar said that all the respected judges refused to head the commission without giving any reason, but he said that they are reluctant to take on the responsibility because of the irresponsible attitude of the opposition political parties.

NISAR WON’T BE HOME EITHER:

“If the government had any intention to constitute a fake commission, why did it contact such senior judges to probe the matter,” he added.

Lashing out at opposition political parties, Nisar said they were resorting to cheap tactics to gain political mileage, adding they should not target government under the garb of Panama Leaks and corruption.

“If keeping foreign property is unlawful for the prime minister’s family, it also applies to Imran Khan, Asif Zardari and others,” he said.

In what seemed to be an attempt to stop rumours, the federal minister said that he wanted to divulge some personal information, as he is also going on a two-day private visit to Germany, because “my wife has already reached there”.

The interior minister also issued a veiled warning to political opponents, saying that in his capacity as a minister, he was privy to information against certain individuals which would unleash a political storm but he was keeping silent in national interest.