Nawaz Sharif To Return From Self-Exile After 4 Years To Lead PML-N

After four years in UK exile, Nawaz Sharif, the former Pakistani prime minister and leader of the Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N), is set to return home. Convicted and imprisoned, Sharif initially left for the UK for medical treatment. The elderly politician, a cardiac patient, will fly from Dubai at 8:45 am in a private jet and is expected to land in Islamabad in the afternoon. He will spend an hour at the federal capital airport for legal consultations before heading to Lahore, where he will be welcomed by a large number of party supporters.

October 21 holds significant political importance in Pakistan as it marks the return of a leader poised to become the country’s next prime minister, amidst a severe economic crisis. Sharif is seen as a potential savior to address the nation’s challenges.

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In his last stint in Pakistan, Sharif was serving a corruption sentence but left on medical grounds in November 2019. The political landscape has undergone a substantial transformation since then, with Imran Khan, who succeeded Nawaz, now incarcerated.

Sharif has been preparing for his return, particularly after Imran Khan’s ouster through a vote of no confidence. His party now governs the crisis-ridden nation, with his younger brother, Shehbaz Sharif, as the prime minister. However, the PDM government has faced numerous challenges, and now it falls on Nawaz to address the ongoing issues.

Despite being declared an absconder in court cases, he obtained protective bail until October 24.

This isn’t the first instance of a top PML-N leader returning from exile; in 2007, Nawaz Sharif and the late PPP leader Benazir Bhutto struck a deal to return to Pakistan.

During his stay in the UK, Sharif openly criticized former Army Chief Gen (retd) Qamar Javed Bajwa and ISI Chief Faiz Hameed for orchestrating his removal. He also called out the judges who convicted him in corruption cases.

Nawaz Sharif expressed his gratitude to the people of Pakistan and his party supporters who are planning a massive rally in Lahore. He described his return as a mission to navigate Pakistan through economic and political challenges. Stressing the importance of the upcoming election, he emphasized that it will shape the country’s future. Sharif made it clear that his return is not driven by a desire for revenge but by a focus on the greater good.