Nawaz, Maryam, Abbasi fly back home from UK

Former prime minister and daughter will be appearing before the accountability court today

ISLAMABAD: Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam Nawaz were scheduled to return to Pakistan during early hours of Monday (today) after their four-day stay in the United Kingdom, and would appear before the accountability court for hearing of related reference the same day.
Prime Minister (PM) Shahid Khaqan Abbasi would also be landing in the federal capital after attending Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Britain.
Sharif, his daughter, son-in law Captain (retd) Safdar Awan and other family members had gone to London on Wednesday to attend ailing Kulsoom Nawaz.
On Friday, the accountability court hearing three corruption cases against the Sharif family ordered by the Supreme Court in Panamagate case granted them exemption from hearing for Friday but turned down the request to grant week-long exemption.
The court, however, had remarked that the accused can request for exemption, if required, for the next hearing on Monday, which was not entertained.


Nawaz Sharif’s decision not to seek exemption and return immediately to Pakistan came a day after he met PM Abbasi in the Britain’s capital in a low-key huddle. On Sunday it was reported that Abbasi has advised Sharif not to prolong his stay in London.
Some circles in the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) are of the view that public sympathies are with Sharif and that he should stay in London on the pretext of attending his ailing wife and skip the related proceedings of the accountability court even if exemption is not granted.
Amidst the likelihood that Sharif may face conviction at the hands of the court in the trial initiated on the order of Supreme Court in Panamagate case.


But, the PML-N’s present leadership including new President Shehbaz Sharif and PM Abbasi believe that Sharif should stay in Pakistan and face the trial regardless of the outcome, party leaders in knowledge of the matter added while speaking to The Express Tribune.
“Mian sahib’s absence from the country in the wake of his ongoing trial in court will allow the opposition parties to cash in on the situation and to play up the matter that Mian sahib escaped to skip trial—this could adversely affect our party in the general elections,” said one of the aides of the PM, requesting anonymity.
However, a senior central leader who is known to be a trusted confidante of Sharif said the ex-premier is in no mood to prolong his stay in London.
“Mian sahib has built a narrative after political canvassing for months that he is being targeted by discriminatory accountability and he would face the trial come what may—now if he skips the scene and takes refuge in London, wouldn’t it tantamount to his political annihilation? He is fully aware of the situation and never wants this to happen,” he said.



The presence of political bigwigs in Britain including Imran Khan gave rise to speculation that government and opposition were quietly deliberating on caretaker set-up using ‘indirect’ channels.

However, sources denied that any discussions on appointing caretaker PM took place in London. The same day when Sharif family left for London, PM Abbasi also landed in United Kingdom’s capital to attend CHOGM.
The three-day event (April 18-20) concluded on Friday and Abbasi was expected to return back home the same day but decided to extend his stay reportedly to meet Sharif. The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan (PTI) also flew to Britain to participate in a fundraising event in Manchester on Saturday.