Govt to bring back Nawaz by January 15, claims Fawad

Decision-makers in UK are discussing to take 'hard decision', says federal minister

ISLAMABAD:

Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry on Wednesday expressed the hope that the government would bring Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supreme leader and former prime minister Nawaz Sharif back to the country by January 15 next year.

Talking to a private news channel, Fawad said that Nawaz’s position is different from others because he is convicted by the court. The three-time prime minister was allowed to fly to London for medical treatment in November 2019 but was later declared an absconder by some courts in Pakistan

He hoped that the British government would take quick decision regarding the Nawaz’s case. The decision-makers in the UK are discussing to take a "hard decision" in this regard, he added.

The federal minister also said the British government is losing its image by giving shelter to looters and plunders.

The statement comes days after Prime Minister Imran Khan, addressing a gathering of his party's volunteer force called Tiger Force, vowed to bring back the former premier and throw him in jail with other "ordinary prisoner".

A visibly angry PM Imran derided Nawaz as “a jackal who ran away to London with its tail between its legs”.

“This is the same man who had first become a minister with the blessings of Gen (retd) Ghulam Jilani; this is the same man who had become the chief minister [Punjab] by polishing the boots of General Ziaul Haq; this is the same man who had received millions of rupees from the then ISI chief Gen (retd) [Asad] Durrani through Mehran Bank to [cobble together an alliance of rightwing parties] to contest the elections against the PPP,” Premier Imran said while referring to Nawaz’s political career.

The prime minister also criticised the PML-N supreme leader for “trying to sow discord in the military, the judiciary, and the government” in an attempt to escape accountability for his massive financial corruption”.

Sources earlier told The Express Tribune that the premier, in a federal cabinet meeting, asked the relevant authorities to take measures for bringing back the PML-N supreme leader and to ensure that he faces the cases pending in various Pakistani courts.

“The process of accountability will continue unabated. The opposition leaders are trying to make state institutions controversial just to avoid the corruption cases lodged against them. The government would, however, not get blackmailed,” the premier was quoted as saying.

The premier noted that Nawaz Sharif left the country on the pretext of illness but now he will have to return to the country and face legal cases.