Nawaz may depart on London trip

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President and three-time former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif is expected to visit London in the coming days for a medical check-up, sources close to the matter revealed on Wednesday.

The trip is anticipated to last two to three weeks, with his daughter and Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif likely to accompany her father, according to insider reports.

During his stay in London, the former premier is expected to meet his sons.

The visit, primarily focused on routine medical evaluations, is the first significant overseas trip for the PML-N leader since his return to Pakistan last year, following a four-year self-imposed exile in the UK.

Rumours of Nawaz Sharif's potential medical trip have been swirling since August, when reports hinted at his impending departure. However, the PML-N leadership has consistently remained silent, neither confirming nor denying these reports.

The media reports back then suggested that the former prime minister would depart for London in September, with senior PML-N officials refraining from commenting on Nawaz's travel plans, stating that they were unaware of any confirmed itinerary.

Senator Irfan Siddiqui, a known confidant of Nawaz Sharif, had remarked that the former prime minister undergoes medical check-ups periodically and suggested that if he does travel to London, it would be a routine visit.

However, Siddiqui also claimed no knowledge of any specific arrangements for the trip.

It is pertinent to note that since the PML-N regained power in both Islamabad and Punjab, a return many believe was aided by the establishment, Nawaz Sharif has largely remained out of the public eye.

His appearances in the media have been rare and highly orchestrated, fuelling ongoing speculation about his health and political plans.