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Islamabad: In a surprising and defining moment for Pakistani politics, former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif is returned to Pakistan on Saturday after four years of self-imposed exile in London. The withdrawal comes at a crucial time for Pakistan, a country reeling from political turmoil and facing one of its worst economic crisis.
His most-awaited visit will now be followed by his address at a major rally of his party in Lahore, where his followers have made huge preparations to welcome the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo.
Nawaz’s return to Pakistan is a momentous occasion that could unexpectedly reshape the country’s political landscape. This homecoming is not just the return of a former leader; It marks the revival of a powerful political figure who has been absent from the national stage for years. Sharif’s re-entry into Pakistani politics is expected to impact parliamentary elections in January 2024, where he seeks to consolidate support and regain his party’s lost political ground.
Nawaz’s legal team including former law minister Senator Azam Tarar and party leaders arrived at the airport to receive him after his chartered flight ‘Umeed-e-Pakistan’ landed at Islamabad Airport. Former deputy mayor Zeeshan Naqvi was also there at the airport along with the oath commissioner for signing legal documents, sources reported.
Report claims, Nawaz Sharif will rest at the state lounge at the New Islamabad International Airport for a few minutes and then depart for Lahore.
The PML-N supremo is likely to face a host of legal challenges before embarking on his election campaign to boost his party’s chances in the upcoming general elections in January 2024.
His party workers have urged supporters to converge on Minar-i-Pakistan in Lahore from around the country to greet their leader and showcase the undiminished popularity of the party, criticised as ‘irrelevant’ by its rivals.
He was convicted in the Al-Azizia Mills and Avenfield corruption cases in 2018 and was disqualified for life by the Supreme Court for concealing assets. However, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo is still considered a crowd puller for the upcoming general elections.
Nawaz was declared a fugitive in February 2020. Later the same year, an accountability court declared him a proclaimed offender in the Toshakhana vehicle reference. Now, returning to Pakistan after almost four years, Nawaz Sharif faces new problems that could jeopardize his hopes of a political comeback. The former PM on Saturday said that his party is in a position to resolve the masses’ problems if elected into power.
