Nawaz Sharif gets official protocol during London trip

LONDON: Pakistan Muslim League-N leader Mian Mohammad Nawaz Sharif was provided protocol by Pakistan High Commission as well as Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO) during his last private trip to London.
The former prime minister, whose party is likely to gain most seats on 11 May election, and his wife Begum Kulsoom Nawaz were received at the Heathrow Airport by Pakistan High Commissioner to the UK Wajid Shamusl Hasan and his wife Begum Zarina Wajid. Nawaz Sharif had arrived in London from Geneva on Wednesday (March 13). He left for Pakistan on Monday via Dubai.
The News can disclose that Nawaz Sharif finalized his plans to visit London only after it was confirmed that Britain’s foreign secretary and other Pakistan watchers at the FCO wanted to meet him exclusively.
Sharif and Hague held talks for an hour but both sides have kept this news a secret. A spokesman at the FCO confirmed that the meeting had taken place but refused to discuss the agenda of the meeting.
“We can confirm that the foreign secretary met Mr Sharif on Thursday (March 14). It is routine for the foreign secretary to meet with leaders of political parties visiting London,” said the spokesman.
This is not the first time that Pakistan High Commission has provided protocol to Mian Nawaz Sharif and Begum Kulsoom. With the only exception of Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif who often travels in cars of his party workers, every other politician of any worth makes sure that he is provided protocol.
Whenever High Commission learnt of his visit he was extended full protocol, said a source in Pakistan High Commission when asked if Mr Sharif was provided protocol because of his high poll ratings, suggesting that he may be able to form the next government.
When approached by The News, Wajid Shamusl Hasan told The News that there was nothing extraordinary in providing protocol to Mian Nawaz Sharif after all he is a former prime minister.
“We have provided protocol to Mian Sahib whenever we have been informed by his office of his visit to London,” Wajid said. It is not clear whether the government of Pakistan had written to High Commission to arrange the protocol.
A PML-N source said that Nawaz Sharif decided to avail protocol after awkward situations happened at the airport when he travelled with his wife and he had to wait for long time in the queue. It is believed that Nawaz Sharif discussed the meeting brief with Wajid Shamsul Hasan on their way from airport to Nawaz Sharif’s Park Lane residence. Nawaz Sharif assured Hague that if his party forms the next coalition government, then he will extend full cooperation to the British government on all fronts and will prove to be a reliable ally. A source told The News Sharif assured that action against sectarian militant groups will be taken and that his government will not harbour militants who attack Pakistanis of diverse ideologies and faiths.
The protocol provided to Nawaz Sharif is of significance because western observers believe that his party is the frontrunner to snap maximum seats and will be able to form the next government – riding on the back of unpopularity of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP).
Leading English newspaper the Guardian wrote on Wednesday that PML-N was “the favourite to win the largest number of seats”. The paper wrote glowingly about Shahbaz Sharif’s Metro Bus launch and said that it was a hit with the public.