Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday claimed his elder brother, and Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) leader, Nawaz Sharif will return to Pakistan next month and submit himself to courts.
“Nawaz Sharif will come back to Pakistan next month and will face the law and lead the election campaign,” he claimed during an interview with anchor Hamid Mir for Geo News. He said he would travel to London, where the former prime minister has been in self-exile since 2019, as soon the caretaker setup had assumed power and determine an exact date for the return.
“He [Nawaz] will neither wear a hat nor a bucket,” he said, in an apparent reference to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan, who has donned a “bulletproof helmet” akin to a bucket on his head while appearing for court hearings.
Expressing the hope that the PMLN would emerge victorious in the upcoming general elections, Sharif said he would continue to work as an “activist” of the party under the leadership of Nawaz.
On the process to appoint the caretaker prime minister, Sharif said he had met Opposition Leader in the National Assembly Raja Riaz and initiated deliberations on the appointment. “It is hoped that the name of caretaker prime minister will be agreed upon before three days,” he said. Under the Constitution, if the prime minister and opposition leader cannot achieve consensus within three days, the matter is placed before a parliamentary committee, which also has three days to finalize a name. If the committee also fails to evolve consensus, both the prime minister and opposition leader send two names each to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), which appoints the interim prime minister.
“I will meet [Riaz] again tomorrow to hold consultation on the name of caretaker prime minister,” said Sharif, adding he would also consult his elder brother regarding the appointment. To a question, he hoped the general elections would be held as soon as possible, adding that following the dissolution of the National Assembly, the matter was entirely in the hands of the ECP.
During the interview, Sharif maintained that no government could function without support of the military, but the extent of the support differed. “[Imran] Khan received military support during his tenure. His government was a blend of various components, despite his accusations against others for the same. Every government requires backing from key sectors, including the military,” he said.
He also hailed the completion of the tenure of the ruling coalition, reiterating that no one had believed a 13-party alliance could work together for a significant period of time. The outgoing government, he maintained had “successfully” brought Pakistan back from the brink of economic disaster.
To another question, he said the PTI chief’s arrest was unfortunate and urged the former prime minister to exercise caution during public speeches. He maintained he had no role in determining where Khan would be imprisoned. “We, Nawaz Sharif and I, have been in Adiala Jail, Attock and Attock Jail. Throughout, we managed with limited resources. During his time in power, Khan instructed officers to make me sleep on the floor despite knowing of my back problem. So, we understand the challenges of this period,” he said, adding all prisoners should have the right to basic facilities.