News Analysis |
Disqualified Prime Minister, Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam Nawaz are expected to land in Lahore at 6:05 pm today [Friday] after a long-awaited stay of 1 month in London.
Nevertheless, one must not forget that Nawaz had exhausted all other options before coming back to Pakistan, therefore, he had no choice but to return and save what was left of his political and business career.
The father-daughter duo is ordered to face an arrest upon their arrival in Pakistan. Following their arrest at the Lahore airport, both are scheduled for a transfer to Adiala Jail, Rawalpindi, over the conviction charges of corruption and embezzlement.
Prior to their departure from London, he held a press conference, where he stated that “despite visualizing the prison bars in front of my eyes, I am going back to Pakistan.”
Read more: Maryam’s and Hussain Nawaz’s sons arrested due to attacks on protestors
These convicted proprietors boarded from London’s Heathrow Airport on Thursday night and are expected to stop over at the United Arab Emirates for a few hours before making their way to Pakistan. Nawaz Sharif’s stay in London was due to a family emergency. His spouse Kulsoom Nawaz had been undergoing treatment for cancer at the Harley Street Clinic, situated in London.
Prior to Nawaz’s departure for Pakistan in June, Kulsoom suffered from a cardiac arrest resulting in a coma. However, progress was witnessed as she opened her eyes on Thursday, just a day before Nawaz was to leave for Pakistan.
Nawaz’s son confirmed the progress and informed the media about his mothers’ recovery, adding that she had opened her eyes after exactly one month. Moreover, she looked around, during this brief period of consciousness. Following adjustments in her ventilator settings and sedatives.
The country is prepared for political unrest and chaos, expected with Nawaz’s landing in Pakistan.
In August 2017, she was diagnosed with lymphoma (throat) cancer and has undergone several chemotherapy sessions. However, in the last couple of months, her condition has deteriorated resulting in a state of the unconscious.
Nawaz and Maryam did not appear in the last hearing of the Avenfield reference case, as the final arguments and convictions were announced. Accountability Judge Muhammad Bashir handed over a conviction verdict, sentencing Nawaz to 11 years and his daughter to 8 years of imprisonment.
Read more: Bailable arrest warrants issued for Nawaz
In addition, Nawaz and Maryam were fined 8 million and 2 million pounds, respectively. Maryam’s husband, Capt. (Retd) Safdar was sentenced to one year. Following this sentence was his arrest in Rawalpindi after creating much chaos in the city.
The former PM has currently, attempted to create a situation where he could possibly gain maximum attention over his decision to return to Pakistan, despite facing a hefty 10-years sentence for corruption.
The advertisement campaign on TV featuring his images from the previous sentencing under the Musharraf regime and current political victimization are used to tempt and urge his supporters into taking to the streets.
Nawaz continues to accuse the powerful military establishment of conspiring against his party prior to the general elections of 25th July. After a yearlong, indirect rhetoric, of accusing military interventions in regard to political issues, Nawaz has directly blamed the military for initially ousting from the office and subsequently, playing a part in his conviction.
Following the calls of Nawaz Sharif and Shahbaz Sharif, a huge gathering is expected outside the Lahore airport to receive Nawaz Sharif and Maryam Nawaz.
Nawaz Sharif’s stay in London was due to a family emergency. His spouse Kulsoom Nawaz had been undergoing treatment for cancer at the Harley Street Clinic, situated in London.
Hundreds of party workers have been detained across Punjab. Fearing a law and order situation, the caretaker government started a crackdown on political activists to refrain them from attending the mass rally at the airport.
Read more: Nawaz wants to get arrested so that he can play the…
The military has repeatedly denied any sort of involvement in electoral engineering or political victimization ahead of the polls. Nawaz is looking forward to a major power political show to demonstrate his street power across Pakistan; Punjab in particular.
The interim government believes, that a convicted criminal cannot be allowed to roam about the streets of Lahore freely. The country is prepared for political unrest and chaos, expected with Nawaz’s landing in Pakistan.
Nevertheless, one must not forget that Nawaz had exhausted all other options before coming back to Pakistan, therefore, he had no choice but to return and save what was left of his political and business career. To be able to appeal before the Supreme Court, Nawaz and Maryam had to return to Pakistan for bail in IHC.