7 months ago
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DUBAI: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo and former prime minister Nawaz Sharif has departed for Pakistan from Dubai via a chartered plane named “Umeed-e-Pakistan” (hope of Pakistan) after four years of self-imposed exile in London.
The special flight carrying 164 people from his party and media organisations departed from Dubai airport at 10.50am (PST) after a delay of 1 hour and 22 minutes and is expected to land at Islamabad airport at around 1.45pm (PST).
After a brief stay in Islamabad to fulfill legal formalities, the former PM will leave for Lahore to address the party’s much-hyped power show at Minar-e-Pakistan, where he will unveil the party’s future course of action.
The caravans of PML-N workers and supporters from across the country are converging in Lahore via trains and by road to welcome their leader who is hoping to make a political comeback ahead of upcoming general elections.
Earlier this week, the PML-N chief’s smooth return to the country was ensured after he secured relief from the Islamabad High Court and an accountability court, averting the threat of immediate arrest when he lands back in the country.
Nawaz has been prime minister three times but was ousted in 2017 and given a lifetime disqualification from politics after being convicted for not declaring a receivable salary.
He served less than a year of a seven-year sentence before getting permission to seek medical care in the United Kingdom, ignoring subsequent court orders to return during former prime minister Imran Khan's government.
His fortunes changed when his brother Shehbaz Sharif came to power last year and his government oversaw changes to the law, including limiting the disqualification of lawmakers from contesting elections to five years.
Fans call him "the Lion of Punjab", the eastern and most populous province where his support is strongest, and he is known to parade big cats at extravagant political events drumming up support.
While he cannot run again for election or hold public office because of his convictions, his legal team says he plans to appeal and his party says he aims to become prime minister for a fourth time.
Nawaz’s return comes at a time Pakistan is reeling from economic crisis including skyrocketing inflation which was exacerbated during the 16-month rule of his younger brother, Shehbaz Sharif, who led a coalition government after Khan's removal.
Convictions and court orders
It is pertinent to note that an accountability court sentenced the three-time prime minister in Avenfield and Al-Azizia Steel Mills references.
Appeal proceedings — for the petition challenging the sentence — were underway when Nawaz travelled abroad for medical treatment and didn't return to pursue the case.
The PML-N supremo — after he moved to Lahore High Court (LHC) instead of the IHC — was allowed to go abroad for four weeks after his brother and party president Shehbaz Sharif submitted an undertaking in the court assuring Nawaz's return once his health improves.
The IHC — in the absence of the PML-N supremo — threw out the appeals on account of "non-prosecution" instead of adjourning the proceedings for an indefinite period.
The court, while declaring Nawaz as a proclaimed offender, noted that the appeals were rejected on technical grounds and not on the merits of the arguments.
The applicant can once again file an appeal against the sentence upon his return, the court added.
Earlier this week, the IHC granted him protective bail in the graft cases till October 24 to allow him to surrender before the court.
