ISLAMABAD: In a significant announcement, former Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has disclosed the return date of his elder brother and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Nawaz Sharif. Nawaz Sharif will return to Pakistan before the upcoming elections to spearhead the party’s political campaign in the country.
Shehbaz Sharif announced on Tuesday that Nawaz Sharif would arrive in Pakistan on October 21. This statement followed a meeting of PML-N’s top leadership in London, led by Nawaz.
Nawaz, who has been in self-imposed exile in London since November 2019 due to health reasons, was disqualified for life in 2017 by the Supreme Court for not declaring a receivable salary.
Following the high-level party gathering in London, Shehbaz declared that they had determined the return date after consulting with party members. He credited Nawaz for Pakistan’s nuclear capability, the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), and ending 20 hours of electricity load-shedding.
Shehbaz emphasized that if the 2018 elections had not disrupted Pakistan’s progress momentum from 2013 to 2018, the country would have advanced much further in development. He emphasized that development would continue from where Nawaz left off in 2017.
Regarding the PML-N’s stance if elections are not held on time, Nawaz stated that it’s the constitutional responsibility of the Election Commission of Pakistan, and he hopes it will fulfill its duty fairly.
Suleman Shehbaz, Hassan Nawaz, former federal minister Khawaja Asif, Malik Mohammad Ahmed Khan, and Nasir Janjua attended the meeting. They discussed the party’s strategy for the elections, Nawaz’s return, and the PPP’s stance on the elections.
Former federal minister and party spokesperson Marriyum Aurangzeb confirmed Shehbaz’s statement on social media.
Last week, Nawaz confirmed his return next month during an interaction with party workers at Stanhope House.
PML-N Leaders Confirm Nawaz Sharif’s October Return
Shehbaz had previously mentioned Nawaz’s October return, saying he would lead the election campaign. After arriving in London on August 20 and transferring the government’s reins to Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar, Shehbaz made the decision.
PML-N leaders have consistently mentioned Nawaz’s return ahead of the general elections. In January, Rana Sanaullah suggested that Nawaz should land in Lahore and assured him of a warm welcome upon his return from London, where he has resided since 2019.
