In a significant turn of events, Hassan and Hussain Nawaz, the sons of former Prime Minister and PML-N supreme leader Nawaz Sharif, concluded nearly seven years of self-imposed exile as they returned to Lahore from London on Tuesday.
Their arrival at Allama Iqbal International Airport in Lahore was met with heightened security measures, and they were subsequently escorted to Jati Amra, the Sharif family’s residence in Lahore, under tight security. Nawaz Sharif personally welcomed his sons at their ancestral home.
PML-N leader Nawaz Sharif’s daughter, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, also a prominent figure within the party, joined her brothers upon their return. The trio paid a solemn visit to the grave of their mother, Kulsoom Begum, where they recited Fatiha in her memory.
Return possible due to arrest warrants suspension
The return was made possible after suspension of arrest warrants for Nawaz Sharif‘s sons in the Al-Azizia, Flagship, and Avenfield cases by a court . The decision to suspend these warrants was made by an accountability court, following a plea from the brothers’ advocate, Qazi Misbah.
These warrants, issued seven years prior, had rendered Hassan and Hussain absconders in the eyes of the law. However, the recent decision by the accountability court marks a significant legal development, providing the brothers with a window of opportunity to address the ongoing legal proceedings.
Advocate Qazi Misbah’s argument during the court hearing emphasized the desire of Hassan and Hussain Nawaz to return to Pakistan and engage with the legal process surrounding the Avenfield case reference. He urged for a delay in executing the permanent warrants, citing the acquittal of other accused parties in the case by the Islamabad High Court in July 2017.
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The court’s decision to suspend the permanent arrest warrants until March 14 allows for Hassan and Hussain Nawaz to potentially appear before the court and address the legal proceedings concerning the Avenfield case reference.