Shahbaz returns home after seven-week stay in UK

Published June 10, 2019
LAHORE: The Leader of Opposition in the National Assembly and PML-N president Shahbaz Sharif waves to supporters on his return from London on Sunday.—Dawn
LAHORE: The Leader of Opposition in the National Assembly and PML-N president Shahbaz Sharif waves to supporters on his return from London on Sunday.—Dawn

LAHORE: Negating all rumours, Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) president Shahbaz Sharif returned home on Sunday morning after a seven-week visit to UK.

He had gone to London on April 10 for his medical check-up. His visit followed months of silence on the front of Nawaz Sharif and Maryam Nawaz. It was being dubbed a result of a ‘deal’ between the PML-N and the powers that be.

Shahbaz Sharif flew in aboard a Pakistan International Airlines flight. Party workers welcomed him at the airport amid tight security and showered flower petals on him. At least 300 policemen were deployed at the airport, where the party workers also scuffled with the security staff to enter the airport building.

Prominent among the leaders who received the opposition leader were Ahsan Iqbal, Amir Muqam, Pervaiz Malik, Shaista Malik, Ali Pervaiz Malik, Khwaja Imran Nazeer, Azma Zahid Bukhari, Waheed Gul, Tauseef Shah and Suhail Shaukat Butt.

Arrival sees war of words between PML-N and PTI

From the airport Mr Sharif went to his Model Town residence where workers distributed sweets. He then left for Jati Umra, where he offered Fateha at the graves of his father Mian Sharif, brother Abbas Sharif and sister-in-law Kulsoom Nawaz and met his mother Begum Shamim and Maryam Nawaz.

A war of words between leaders of the PML-N and the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf ensued on his arrival.

Taking to Twitter, PML-N spokesperson Marriyum Aurangzeb said that as Shahbaz Sharif had landed in Pakistan it was now time for Prime Minister Imran Khan to get worried. She taunted that Mr Khan hid himself in the mountains — a reference to the prime minister’s prolonged stay in Nathia Gali since Eid — on reports of Mr Sharif’s arrival.

Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Information Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan said Shahbaz Sharif had arrived in Pakistan “after converting a two-week relief to a two-month holiday”. She said the opposition leader wandered the London streets in order to get an NRO-like deal, adding that his fast pace suggested that he had no health issues.

Taking a jibe at the ‘escape’ of Shahbaz Sharif’s relatives and the former finance minister from accountability, Punjab government’s spokesperson Shahbaz Gill said the legal requirement would have been fulfilled had Mr Sharif brought his son (Suleman), son-in-law (Ali Imran) and Ishaq Dar with him.

PML-N Punjab president Rana Sanaullah responded that Ms Awan should focus on the slogan of “go Imran go” and that after Mr Shahbaz’s arrival, she should prepare Imran Khan to respond to the opposition leaders’ questions on economy and other national matters.

Shahbaz Sharif is scheduled to appear on June 11 before an accountability court in Lahore seized with the Ashiyana Housing Scheme and Ramzan Sugar Mills cases. However, he will be in Islamabad on Monday (today) to chair a meeting of the party’s parliamentary advisory group and will also head a sitting of the PML-N’s Economic Advisory Council on June 12 — a day after the presentation of the federal budget — to chalk out a strategy pertaining to the supposedly ‘anti-masses’ budget.

Shahbaz Sharif apparently discussed with party vice president Maryam the opposition’s multi-party conference likely to be held soon. But he had not yet scheduled his any activity or meeting in this respect.

Interestingly, his arrival has led to some sort of confusion about the PML-N narrative not only among the party cadre but also the opposition parties.

Since re-imprisonment of PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif, his daughter

Maryam has been building a narrative of resistance mostly through her messages on social media. She and other party leaders have been hinting at taking to the streets, particularly on the issue of presidential reference filed against a couple of superior court judges.

However, before his departure for the homeland, Shahbaz Sharif had told the media at Heathrow Airport that the PML-N would launch a protest inside parliament.

The party cadre is confused whether to side with Shahbaz Sharif or his niece Maryam in case of a clash between the narratives of the two as there’s general impression, which has never been denied by the PML-N president, that he believes in “amiable co-existence with the establishment”. Through unnamed sources it was being fed to the media that Nawaz Sharif had directed his daughter to attend the opposition MPC, while she is also making preparations to run her show from the party’s Model Town office soon.

Background interviews suggest that the opposition parties are also wary of Shahbaz Sharif’s homecoming at a time when Maryam is preparing the PML-N for a resistance movement. “We’re cautious about the move for we fear that our shoulders may be used by the PML-N to win some relief from the government,” a senior PPP leader confided to this reporter.

Published in Dawn, June 10th, 2019

Opinion

Editorial

‘Source of terror’
Updated 29 Mar, 2024

‘Source of terror’

It is clear that going after militant groups inside Afghanistan unilaterally presents its own set of difficulties.
Chipping in
29 Mar, 2024

Chipping in

FEDERAL infrastructure development schemes are located in the provinces. Most such projects — for instance,...
Toxic emitters
29 Mar, 2024

Toxic emitters

IT is concerning to note that dozens of industries have been violating environmental laws in and around Islamabad....
Judiciary’s SOS
Updated 28 Mar, 2024

Judiciary’s SOS

The ball is now in CJP Isa’s court, and he will feel pressure to take action.
Data protection
28 Mar, 2024

Data protection

WHAT do we want? Data protection laws. When do we want them? Immediately. Without delay, if we are to prevent ...
Selling humans
28 Mar, 2024

Selling humans

HUMAN traders feed off economic distress; they peddle promises of a better life to the impoverished who, mired in...