PML-N keeps mum on Nawaz's London trip

Nawaz Sharif’s rumored London medical trip remains unconfirmed by PML-N. Speculation rises over his political comeback

LAHORE:

With the speculations rife that PML-N President Nawaz Sharif is gearing up for a medical trip to London in the coming weeks, the party has remained tight-lipped, neither confirming nor denying the reports.

According to media reports, the former prime minister is expected to jet off to London in September for a checkup cum treatment, with plans to stay for over two weeks for routine medical evaluations.

However, two senior party leaders flatly refused to comment on the matter, asserting they were in the dark about Nawaz Sharif's travel itinerary.

Senator Irfan Siddiqui, known as a close confidant of the PML-N chief, remarked that Nawaz undergoes medical checkups periodically.

He added that if Nawaz does indeed travel to London, it would be a routine visit—though he, too, claimed no knowledge of any specific travel plans.

Following the PML-N's rise to power in Islamabad and Punjab, a feat allegedly facilitated by the establishment, Nawaz has largely remained in the shadows, making only rare and carefully orchestrated media appearances.

His most recent appearance, which ignited controversy, involved a pre-recorded and edited address where he announced a two-month electricity subsidy exclusively for Punjab.

The address, disguised as a press conference, left even beat journalists baffled and pondering over the motive behind such a deceptive presentation.

The government's tight grip on public advertising – and its arsenal of punitive measures against media outlets at its whims – has severely restricted the space for pointing out factual errors in its narrative.

Nawaz's attempt to revive his worn-out "why was I ousted" narrative in his last appearance was seen by many as a bid to re-enter the political area. However, the move proved to be a grave miscalculation by political pundits.

In reality, political analysts have been speculating about Nawaz Sharif's formal return to national politics since he reclaimed the party's leadership from his younger brother, Shehbaz Sharif, the current Prime Minister of Pakistan, earlier this year.

In hindsight, it appears this move was aimed at consolidating power within Jati Umrah.

Many within the party believe Nawaz is reluctant to be perceived as a beneficiary of the current setup, which is why he often reminisces about his past hardships.

At this point, however, Nawaz Sharif is left with little room for manoeuvre to play the victim card, given that his party, at least on paper, controls the federal government and Punjab, the country's most crucial province.

Speculation abounds that his strategy of maintaining an ambiguous stance is a calculated effort to keep all his options open.