A photo of Nawaz Sharif at a London cafe with his family went viral on social media in May
Islamabad:
Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan has called on relevant authorities to take action to bring PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif back from London and ensure he faces the corruption cases pending against him in court, according to a press report released on Wednesday.
The decision was made at a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, Dawn News reported, citing a cabinet member whose identity was not disclosed.
Khan called on authorities to vigorously pursue the case, the newspaper said.
According to the cabinet member, the government had previously sent a request to the British government for the repatriation of Pakistani Muslim League leader-Nawaz (PML-N). However, it would send a new request again now.
In addition to a normal request, a formal extradition request would also be made. “Although we do not have an extradition treaty with the UK, wanted persons can be repatriated under special arrangements as we have also returned some people to the UK,” the member said. .
The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Wednesday said it must be determined whether Sharif, 70, was deliberately evading court proceedings.
Nawaz Sharif’s exit from Pakistan is a “travesty of the system,” said a bench of two CSI members, made up of Judge Mohsin Akhtar Kayani and Judge Aamer Farooq.
The federal government told the court that non-releasable arrest warrants issued against Nawaz Sharif earlier this month had not been received at his residence in London.
Additional Attorney General (AAG) Tariq Khokhar said the arrest warrants were sent to Nawaz Sharif’s residence via Royal Mail Special Delivery, but a person named Waqar Ahmed refused to receive the delivery.
“He (Sharif) must be sitting there laughing at the Pakistani system. It’s a shame, ”Judge Kayani said.
The hearing in the case has been adjourned to October 7.
On September 15, the High Court in Islamabad issued non-releasable arrest warrants for Nawaz Sharif who did not appear before her despite the clear warning from the bench. The court said it was the federal government’s responsibility to bring Sharif back from London to stand trial in Pakistan.
The PML-N had said it honored the court’s ruling, but the party leader would return once his health permitted.
Nawaz Sharif, his daughter Maryam and his son-in-law Muhammad Safdar were convicted in the Avenfield properties case on July 6, 2018.
Nawaz Sharif was also sentenced to seven years in the Al-Azizia Steel Mills case in December 2018. But he was bailed out in both cases and was also allowed to travel to London for medical treatment in November of the last year.
In May, a photo of Nawaz Sharif having tea at a London cafe with his family went viral on social media, sparking debate about the severity of his condition.
The government came under new criticism when photos of Nawaz Sharif surfaced on the internet last month, showing him walking down a street, prompting the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) to Bring him back.
