Nawaz Sharif confirms he will return to Pakistan next month

LONDON: For the first time, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo and former prime minister Nawaz Sharif on Friday confirmed that he would return to his homeland in October this year.

Nawaz — who has been in self-imposed exile in London since November 2019 owing to health reasons — said this for the first time on Friday during his meeting with his party workers and supporters at Stanhope House. Those in attendance included ex-PM Shehbaz Sharif and PML-N leaders Chaudhary Tanveer, Danyal Chaudhary, Chaudhary Nadeem Khan, Dr Anjum and others.

Sources present during the meeting at Stanhope House indicated that Nawaz’s travel to Pakistan is confirmed next month although no exact date has been fixed.

Geo News had revealed three weeks ago that the PML-N supremo was set to return to Pakistan in the middle of October. The sources also shared with Geo News that the three-time premier will be returning in the “second half of October”.

Two weeks ago, PML-N President Shehbaz said that his elder brother would be returning in October.

“Nawaz Sharif will return to Pakistan in October and lead the election campaign and this has been decided after the PML-N party consultations,” Shehbaz said as Nawaz stood next to him.

Shehbaz went on to say that Nawaz would face the law of the land when he is back in Pakistan.

Nawaz reached London on November 19, 2019, when he fell critically ill in prison.

It was alleged by the family that the Imran Khan-led government and his “backers” had tried to poison Nawaz. He was treated at the Harley Street Clinic and London Bridge Hospital for four months.

Nawaz had been diagnosed with an immune system disorder and doctors in Pakistan recommended that he should go abroad for treatment as his condition continued to deteriorate despite the best possible care in the country.