KARACHI: Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif arrived in London on Wednesday evening in his first foreign visit after ouster from office in the Panama Papers case.

Workers of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz gathered outside Mr Sharif’s flat and jostled in their attempt to get close to their leader, according to TV reports.

Because of the disorderly situation, Mr Sharif could not talk to the media and party workers and was only able to thank the PML-N’s overseas members for lending their support to him in troubled times.

Mr Sharif has come to see his wife, Begum Kulsoom Nawaz, who is suffering from throat cancer.

The former first lady was diagnosed last week with lymphoma, a type of cancer that starts in the lymph nodes.

Tight security arrangements were made at Lahore’s Allama Iqbal International Airport when Mr Sharif reached there. He was taken to the runway in a bulletproof car where he boarded the aircraft of a foreign airline. Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif saw his elder brother off.

Nawaz Sharif’s sons, Hussain and Hasan, and daughter Asma are already in London to attend to their mother.

However, Maryam Nawaz has decided to stay back as she is running the campaign of her mother ahead of a by-election in the NA-120 constituency (Lahore-III).

According to the PML-N, Mr Sharif will stay in London for at least 10 days. He may extend his stay depending on Begum Kulsoom’s health.

The ruling party rejected speculations that Mr Sharif might not return to the country soon to evade investigation by the National Accountability Bureau in corruption references likely to be filed after Eidul Azha.

Earlier, the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf claimed that the ousted premier was unlikely to return.

In London, doctors treating Begum Kulsoom have not yet given a date for her surgery.

Published in Dawn, August 31st, 2017