Nawaz Sharif returns to Pakistan after 4 years of self-exile
Former Prime Minister of Pakistan Nawaz Sharif returned to his homeland on Saturday after nearly four years of self-imposed exile, PTI reported. His return shook up the political landscape in the country ahead of the country's controversial general elections. Nawaz, a three-time prime minister who was once removed from power in a military coup, arrived at Islamabad airport on Saturday. His arrival follows an Islamabad court's decision to grant him protective bail in a number of cases.
Why does this story matter?
The general election in Pakistan is set to be held in January 2024. Nawaz's party Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has said that he will initiate the party's pre-election campaign. On the other hand, the leading opposition, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), is in troubled waters as its leader, Imran Khan, is still in jail and remains banned from running for office. Notably, the National Assembly of Pakistan was dissolved in August, and Anwar-ul-Haq Kakar was appointed acting prime minister.
PML-N announced Nawaz's arrival on X
Shehbaz Sharif welcomes Nawaz's bail
Pakistan's last elected PM, Shehbaz Sharif, who is Nawaz's younger brother, expressed happiness over his bail on X, calling it a "fundamental right." "The elected prime minister, Nawaz Sharif, was disqualified based on a fictitious and fabricated story. He was implicated in absurd cases and subjected to mistreatment. Any fair hearing would have established his innocence," he said. Shehbaz served as prime minister from 2022 until August of this year, when his government was replaced by a caretaker administration.
Corruption allegations against Nawaz, his disqualification
In 2017, Sharif was barred from holding office by the Supreme Court of Pakistan due to corruption allegations. The next year, he was sentenced to seven years in prison on corruption charges, which he denied. However, his sentence was suspended on medical grounds, permitting him to seek treatment abroad with the stipulation that he return within four weeks, a condition he disregarded. As the former leader of the PML-N, Nawaz's comeback heightens the tension ahead of an already volatile election.
Current political turmoil, protests in Pakistan
Pakistan's political landscape has been in disarray since the removal of Khan, who was once Nawaz's adversary. Recently, multiple protests broke out over Khan's dismissal, soaring prices, and resentment toward the nation's influential military, which Khan's supporters allege had a hand in his removal. The military refutes this claim. Nawaz had also attributed his downfall to the military, which has governed Pakistan for extended periods since its 1947 independence and continues to wield considerable power.
More about Nawaz
Born on December 25, 1949, Nawaz comes from an upper-middle-class business family in Pakistan. He stepped into politics after a loss in business and was also once the chief minister of Punjab Province. He became the prime minister of Pakistan three times, making him the country's longest-serving PM. Nawaz was counted among the richest people in Pakistan, as his assets are around Rs. 175 crore.
