Ex-PM Nawaz Sharif to return to Pakistan in October: Report

Pakistan’s former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, who is currently in self-imposed exile in London since 2019, is all set to return to the capital Islamabad city in October this year.

Nawaz made the announcement on Friday (Sept 8) during his meeting with his party workers and supporters at Stanhope House, London, Geo TV reported quoting sources present there.

Nawaz, who is the brother of ex-PM Shebaz Sharif, left Pakistan citing health reasons.

The supremo of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) 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.

Though it is confirmed that he will be in Pakistan next month, the exact date of his arrival is still unknown.

'Nawaz will face the law'

“Nawaz Sharif will return to Pakistan in October and lead the election campaign and this has been decided after the PML-N party consultations,” Shehbaz reportedly said during the meeting as Nawaz stood next to him, reports Geo TV.

Shehbaz went on to say that Nawaz would face the law of the land when he is back in Pakistan.

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

The PML-N party members have repeatedly indicated that Nawaz would contest for the premiership when the country goes to poll later this year.

Election postponed

Initially expected to be held in October, there are chances that the election commission would announce the poll dates in early 2024.

The poll body had ruled out elections this year, while the 90-day limit for holding polls following the dissolution of the National Assembly (NA), as mandated under Article 224 of the Constitution, ends on November 9.

It cited the delimitation exercise that is to be carried out later in the year as the prime reason for postponing the election.

Pakistan’s caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar has said that the general election can be conducted before January-February, 2024, Geo News reported on Thursday.

In an interview with Pakistan’s local channel, the interim PM said that deciding the dates of the election is in the hands of the Election Commission but still the polls can take place before 2024.

He maintained that they were waiting for the date so that they could complete their preparations for the conduct of free and fair elections in the country.

(With inputs from agencies)

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