Islamabad: Former Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz arrived in Islamabad from London on Monday to face corruption cases against him.
The aircraft carrying him landed here at around 7.30 am and a confident Mr Sharif came out, waved to his supporters and left, TV news reports showed.
Speaker National Assembly Ayaz Sadiq, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz information secretary senator Mushahidullah Khan, Prime Minister’s Adviser on Aviation Sardar Mehtab Abbasi, Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif, Railway Minister Saad Rafique, Anushay Rehman, Khurram Dastagir, Talal Chaudhry and Islamabad Mayor Ansar Aziz received Nawaz Sharif at the airport.
Nawaz Sharif later reached Punjab House amid strict security arrangements. He held a meeting with the Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) leaders to consult over his appearance before the NAB court today (Tuesday) in connection with the corruption references filed against him. The meeting was also attended by Mr Sharif’s legal experts. During the meeting, Mr Sharif decided to take PML-N’s allies into confidence and is expected to hold meetings with them soon.
The accountability court in Islamabad, which is hearing the corruption cases against the Sharif family, last week summoned Mr Sharif, his daughter Maryam and son-in-law capt (retd) Safdar to appear before it on September 26.
The anti-graft body last week froze the bank accounts and seized properties of Mr Sharif and his family members to put pressure on them to appear before the court.
Earlier, Sharif skipped a court hearing last week to defy the cases.
His family has alleged that the cases are politically motivated.
PML-N leader Asif Kirmani told reporters on Monday that Mr Sharif will appear before Accountability Court in Islamabad on Tuesday (today). He said PML-N had always held the courts in high esteem.
Mr Kirmani denied rumors about any rifts in the party and maintained that consultations within the party continue but rumours were only wishful dreams of the opponents.
Ms Maryam said that Sharif was returning to face cases for the sake of his people.
“Knowing what he faces is not accountability, the man decides to return. It is not about this person anymore. It is the battle of 200 million (Pakistanis),” she said in a tweet.
The ousted PM went to the United Kingdom a month ago to visit his wife Kulsoom Nawaz, who is under-treatment for cancer.
His daughter Maryam and her husband Mr Safdar are also expected to return soon while his sons Hassan Nawaz and Hussain Nawaz may stay in London.
Mr Sharif’s wife has undergone three successful surgeries for her cancer.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and finance minister Khawaja Asif have also returned to the country.
