A message that Nawaz Sharif ignored

ISLAMABAD: Chaudhry Munir, a noted Pakistani businessman had to host an uninvited guest at his house in Islamabad in the evening a couple of days back. The guest had a message for Nawaz Sharif.

For those who don’t know Ch Munir, he is the father of the young man who is married to the daughter of Maryium Nawaz. The guest wanted Ch Munir to convey to Nawaz to prolong their stay in London with his daughter and return only if situation improves for them. Ch Munir patiently heard what he was told and when the guest left, he contacted Nawaz Sharif in London and conveyed the message.

Two days later on Wednesday, Nawaz Sharif held a press conference in London and announced that he and his daughter are coming back to Pakistan serve their sentence. It means Nawaz ignored the message.

Nawaz and Maryium will be arriving at Lahore airport on Friday late afternoon where they will find the NAB officials waiting to arrest them for their onward transfer to Adiala Jail.

Although the father and daughter are bound to land in Adiala jail within hours of their arrival in Lahore, they and their lawyers believe that the Accountability court judgment is weak and flawed.

Their lawyers have assured them that such a judgment does not survive at the appeal level. However, they do fear that they may have to stay behind the bars for a longer period of time. In the next few days, their appeal will be filed. In normal circumstances the Accountability Court judgments are suspended and the convicts are released from jail. Will this happen in case of Nawaz and Maryium?

Sources said that the both father and daughter are prepared for any eventuality. Their names have already been placed on ECL while Begum Kulsoom is under treatment in a London hospital. Nawaz Sharif wanted to come back after seeing his wife conscious but it does not seem possible now. Begum Kulsoom is though improving, is still on ventilator. On Wednesday Nawaz said that he was returning to Pakistan leaving his wife Kulsoom in Allah's protection and not scared of whether he is hanged, imprisoned or given any other punishment.

Speaking at a news conference with his daughter Maryam Nawaz, the former premier said that he wished to see his wife opening her eyes again, requesting the nation to pray for her recovery. He said he was returning "despite seeing a prison cell in front of him” and was saddened that he was leaving his wife behind on ventilator. "I am returning to fulfill the promise of giving respect to vote," Nawaz said, adding that he would not abandon his nation and was ready to pay any cost.