ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry on Thursday said the rejection of extension in visa of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif by the United Kingdom was a welcome development.

The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader should better approach the Pakistan High Commission in London for getting temporary traveling documents and return home to serve the remaining jail term, he said in a video statement.

The minister said it was abundantly clear that Nawaz Sharif was not sick as he was seen dining in restaurants and strolling [on London roads], but he had obtained the visa by telling lies to the British authorities about his health.

He said: “We have said time and again that Prime Minister Imran Khan and the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf have no personal enmity against Nawaz Sharif.”

The issue, in fact, was that he [Nawaz Sharif] was a fugitive [in London] after looting billions of rupees of the national wealth, and he should return to live a normal life at his home, he added.

In case, he did not return the looted money, he would have to go to jail, the minister said.

He said the Pakistan government and the community had demanded the British government not to give refuge to the people who were involved in corruption of billions of rupees.

Mr Chaudhry said the first option for Nawaz Sharif was to turn up at the Pakistan High Commission, get travel documents, return home, complete the jail sentence and fight his corruption cases.

Secondly, he said, the PML-N leader could challenge the decision of the UK authorities. But he had no grounds for the purpose, the minister added.

Published in Dawn, August 6th, 2021