Islamabad: Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has asked relevant authorities to take steps to bring back PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif from London. Former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has been staying since November 2019 on medical grounds in London. Imran Khan wants to ensure that the former premier faces the corruption cases pending against him in various Pakistani courts, according to a media report.
The decision was taken Tuesday at a Cabinet meeting, the ‘Dawn News’ reported. The report quoted a cabinet member whose identity was not revealed. Khan has asked the authorities to pursue the matter vigorously, the report said.
According to the Cabinet member, the government had earlier sent a request to the British government for the (PML-N) leader’s repatriation. However, it would again send a fresh application now.
Besides a normal application, a formal request for his extradition would also be made. “We have no extradition treaty with the United Kingdom. However, wanted people can be repatriated under special arrangements. We had also handed over some people to the UK,” the member said.
The Islamabad High Court said Wednesday that it needs to be determined if Sharif was evading court proceedings on purpose.
The federal government told the court that the non-bailable arrest warrants had been issued for Sharif earlier this month. However they were not received at his residence in London.
Additional Attorney General (AAG) Tariq Khokhar said the warrants were sent to Sharif’s residence through Royal Mail Special Delivery. However, a person named Waqar Ahmed refused to receive the delivery.
The Islamabad High Court issued September 15 non-bailable arrest warrants for Sharif. This is because Sharif failed to surrender before it despite clear warning by the bench. The court said the onus was on the federal government to bring back Sharif from London to stand a trial in Pakistan.
The PML-N had said it honoured the court decision, but the party supremo would return once his health permitted him. The three-time premier, his daughter Maryam and son-in-law Muhammad Safdar were convicted in the Avenfield properties case July 6, 2018. Sharif was also sentenced to seven years in the Al-Azizia Steel Mills case in December 2018. But Sharif was bailed out in both cases and also allowed to go to London for medical treatment.
In November last year, Sharif was allowed to travel abroad for his treatment, while Maryam had to stay behind ‘till further orders’.