Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif left for London early on Wednesday to see his ailing wife Kulsoom Nawaz, who is under treatment there for throat cancer. Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif saw his elder brother off at the Allama Iqbal International Airport.
The ousted premier departed on an Emirates flight, which will have a transit stay of a few hours in Dubai before leaving for London. He will spend Eidul Azha with his family in London as his sons Hassan and Hussain and daughter Asma are already attending to Kulsoom Nawaz there. He is also expected to speak at a public rally being taken out by his supporters in West London. This is Sharif’s first foreign visit after his disqualification by the Supreme Court.
PML-N sources said that the party chief was likely to stay in London for at least 10 days but he may extend his stay depending on his wife’s medical reports.
Kulsoom Nawaz was nominated as a candidate for NA-120, following Sharif’s disqualification as the prime minister on July 28. Maryam Nawaz is taking care of her mother’s election campaign in her absence.
However, Sharif’s political rivals do not believe that the former PM is likely to return to Pakistan to face the NAB cases. These include: cases related to the Avenfield Properties (London), the Azizia Steel Mills, the Hill Metal Company, the Flagship Investments, the Hartstone Properties, Que Holdings, the Quint Eaton Place 2, Quint Saloane, Quaint, Flagship Securities, Quint Gloucester Place, Quint Paddington, Flagship Developments, Alanna Services (BVI), Lankin SA (BVI), Chadron, Ansbacher, Coomber and Capital FZE.
“There are chances that Sharif may not return to the country to face NAB corruption references in which he cannot evade punishment,” PTI spokesperson Fawad Chaudhry told a media outfit. He said that Sharif should not have been allowed to leave the country without joining the NAB investigation. “He is being given special treatment,” he alleged.
The Sharif family has said it would join the NAB investigations after a decision on their review petitions against the Supreme Court’s July 28 verdict in the Panama Papers case. NAB had earlier announced that it would file four references against the Sharif family and Finance Minister Ishaq Dar soon after Eidul Azha.
Separately, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan is also expected to reach London in the second week of September to attend the wedding of his friend Naeem Musarrat’s daughter on Sept 9. Khan close ally, Awami Muslim League (AML) chief Sheikh Rasheed is also expected to reach London over the weekend.
Moreover, Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader Dr Asim Hussain is also likely to reach London for his medical treatment.