Nawaz all set to return today

LONDON: The Home Office has issued new official visas to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif — who is all set to fly for Pakistan early on Saturday (today) after recovering from an open heart surgery — as well as the members of his entourage.

Around a dozen visas had been applied for three weeks back after the one-month-long official visas issued to the prime minister and his staff had expired. With Prime Minister Sharif having gone for the heart surgery, the visas were bound to expire, hence an extension request was made, which could have been done only from within the UK.

Nawaz Sharif is to fly from the Stanstead Airport for Pakistan early on Saturday. A Boeing 777-200 of the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) is all set reach the airport three hours before the PM’s departure. Landing permission from the airport has been obtained and all arrangements are in place, said a source involved with making the arrangements.

The prime minister will be accompanied to the airport by representatives from the British government, officials of the Pakistan High Commission and family members.

Sharif underwent an open heart surgery at a London hospital on May 31. The need for the surgery arose after the premier went through a cardiac procedure called Atrial Fibrillation Ablation in 2011 “during which certain complications occurred resulting in perforation of heart”, according to Maryam Nawaz, the PM’s daughter.

PM Nawaz Sharif stayed in hospital for less than a week. Thousands of people visited the hospital and his son’s flat on Park Lane to send him flowers and cards of well-wishes.

Due to the strict guidelines and instructions issued by his doctors to avoid any issues, PM Sharif didn’t meet his well wishers in person but replied to thousands of letters and cards wishing him well. His sons Hasan Nawaz and Hussain Nawaz remained with him throughout, and his nephews Hamza and Suleman Shahbaz Sharif visited London twice from Pakistan to be with their uncle. They arrived in London two days ahead of Eid and spent Eid with him.

Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif famously remarked that while “Nawaz Sharif is over 65 years old but he now has a heart of 25 years old”.