Nawaz Sharif to be treated as per law on return, says Pakistan's caretaker information minister

Pakistan's former prime minister Nawaz Sharif did not go to London after a jailbreak and will be treated according to the law on his return next month, caretaker Information Minister Murtaza Solangi said on Sunday.

Sharif, 73, recently said that he is excited to return to Pakistan on October 21, ending a four-year 'self-imposed exile' and to lead his Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party in the election likely to be held in January 2024.

Addressing a press conference here, Solangi said that Nawaz had been three times prime minister of Pakistan and was the Quaid (leader) of a big political party, Geo News reported.

The minister said that Nawaz did not go abroad after a jailbreak but with the permission of the court and former government.

Solangi said that he could not answer whether Nawaz would secure protective bail or move to court, adding the answer is to be given by PML-N supremo himself or the law and Constitution of the country.

He said that as per the Constitution, the country’s affairs would be run by its elected representatives.

Nawaz stepped down as the country's prime minister in 2017 after he was disqualified for life from holding public office by the Supreme Court for not declaring a receiveable salary. He has been living in London since 2019 after the Lahore High Court granted him four-week permission allowing him to go abroad for his treatment.

He was serving a seven-year imprisonment at Lahore's Kot Lakhpat jail in the Al-Azizia Mills case before he was allowed to proceed to London in 2019 on 'medical grounds'.

In 2020, an accountability court declared him a proclaimed offender in the Toshakhana vehicles case. He is also accused of obtaining luxury cars from the treasury house by paying just 15 per cent of the price of these vehicles.

Nawaz was also convicted in the Al-Azizia Mills and Avenfield corruption cases in 2018.

The minister said the Election Commission of Pakistan was responsible for conducting free, fair, transparent, and impartial elections under Article 218(3) of the Constitution.

He said the caretaker government would play its full role in holding free and fair elections. Delimitation of constituencies would be completed by November 30 and after that, the final date of the elections would also be given.