Pakistan’s former prime minister Nawaz Sharif who has been living in the United Kingdom for the last four years in self-imposed exile on Friday submitted his medical reports to a top court here in anticipation of seeking protective bail ahead of his scheduled return to the country on October 21. The PML-N supreme leader had left for London in November 2019 on ‘medical grounds’ after the Lahore High Court granted him a four-week bail. He had been serving a seven-year jail term at Kot Lakhpat Jail in Lahore in the Al-Azizia Mills corruption case before securing bail for his treatment abroad.
The PML-N says Nawaz, 73, will manage to secure protective bail ahead of his scheduled arrival and he will surrender to court in the Al Azizia corruption case after addressing the nation at a rally at the Minar-e-Pakistan, Lahore, on October 21.
Nawaz’s medical report was submitted to the Lahore High Court by his counsel Advocate Amjad Pervez. The report says Nawaz has “some residual anginal symptoms which require frequent follow-up investigations in London and Pakistan. The report has been signed by Professor Carlo Di Mario, a consultant cardiologist at the Royal Brompton and Harefield Hospitals.
The Election Commission of Pakistan has announced the end of January 2024 for holding of general elections.
‘No delay in former Pm’s return’
Former Pakistan premier Nawaz Sharif’s party has dismissed speculation that he may delay his plan to return from self-imposed exile in London on October 21 amid reports that a group within the party had advised him that the time was not right for the move.
Nawaz Sharif, the 73-year-old three-time prime minister is expected to lead the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party in the next general election which will be held in January. The Express Tribune newspaper, citing sources, said that the “party’s reconciliatory group” believed that the people, currently worried about the rising inflation, unemployment and excessive utility bills, were not interested in the PML-N supremo’s return to the country.
