Shahbaz confirms returning to Pakistan before budget session

LONDON: Shahbaz Sharif, the former Punjab chief minister and Leader of the Opposition in National Assembly, will be returning to Pakistan before the budget session for the fiscal year 2019-20 in the National Assembly and Senate on May 24.

Speaking to The News here, the Leader of the Opposition in National Assembly laughed off rumours that he has escaped from Pakistan and will not be returning. When asked by this correspondent about his return date, Shahbaz Sharif confirmed that he will be back in Pakistan in a matter of days. “I can confirm that I will be back in Pakistan before the budget session. I have a few medical check-ups to attend to in the next few days and I will be returning to Pakistan after that. It could be much sooner than the budget session, subject to clearance from the doctors.”

Separately, The News has learnt that Shahbaz Sharif has appointment with a West London cancer specialist on 8th of May and then another appointment on 14th of May. It is likely that he may be suggested a few more tests after which he will be returning to Pakistan.

Fake news have made rounds in the last two weeks on social media that Sharif may not be returning to Pakistan and while several PML-N leaders – including Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and Khawaja Asif – have confirmed that Shahbaz Sharif will be returning; it is for the first time that Sharif himself has confirmed his return date, putting to rest all rumours.

Shahbaz Sharif has been in London for over three weeks now and has met a number of doctors during the course of his stay. He has undergone various tests as part of his medicalcheck-ups, especially for the pain he developed while in custody of National Accountability Bureau (NAB). He has met doctors for consultations on related to his historic chronic backache, with the latest episode starting in December 2018. He has also met cancer specialist who has been consulting him on cancer treatment for several years.