Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif arrived in Maldives on Tuesday to participate in the country's 52nd independence day celebrations on July 26 as the chief guest of the event.

The prime minister, accompanied by Foreign Affairs Adviser Sartaj Aziz, is visiting Maldives on the invitation of President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom.

During the visit, Nawaz is expected to sign a number of agreements for cooperation in various fields following a meeting with the Maldives president.

The premier’s trip comes at a time when the country is waiting on the Supreme Court's verdict in the Panamagate case, pertaining to the Sharif family's assets and businesses.

Maldives parliament shut for security

The Maldives government defended its controversial deployment of troops to block opposition legislators entering the parliament, saying that the move was part of security measures undertaken for a visiting dignitary.

On Monday, President Yameen had ordered troops to evict legislators and prevent the impeachment of his speaker, the opposition said, in the latest turmoil in the honeymoon islands.

Yameen's office said in a statement that the legislature was shut as part of tight security measures undertaken for the country's 52nd anniversary of independence on Wednesday and an “incoming VVIP visit”.

“The special measures taken by the security forces at the parliament building on 24 July 2017 were to ensure the security and safety of the premises, as mandated by the... Constitution,” Yameen's office said.

The main opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) said several MPs broke through a cordon only to be pepper sprayed and evicted from the parliament building on Monday.

The country's exiled main opposition leader Mohamed Nasheed called the eviction illegal.

Earlier in the day, parliament's gates were padlocked by members of the armed forces and MPs were prevented from entering the parliamentary compound.