Govt to seek Nawaz Sharif’s repatriation from Britain: PM’s aide

SIALKOT: Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Information and Broadcasting Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan said on Sunday the government will write a letter to Britain to deport former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, who is currently in London for medical treatment.

Addressing a press conference here, she said the time had come to bring back the “VIP prisoner Nawaz Sharif” in Pakistan who had gone to London for the purpose of treatment. “Sharif has gone abroad just for the protection of the business of his family and children and he travelled to London under the garb of illness and even today he is roaming on the roads of British capital by following the specific agenda,” she alleged.

The special assistant said the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo did not send any medical report to the Punjab government neither any medical report had been submitted in any court. She added the Punjab government rejected Sharif’s application to extend his bail while fulfilling all the requirements. “The Punjab government has sent its recommendations which will be forwarded to the British government next week for extradition by the federal government,” she said, adding the procedure devised in the Constitution will be followed to bring back such people.

She further said a section of the media created an environment that if Sharif was not allowed to go abroad for treatment, his life might be in danger. “Anyone who has pain for the public he should come to Pakistan and solve it,” she added.

About Afghan peace process, Dr Awan said US-Taliban peace agreement signed in Doha a day earlier vindicated Prime Minister Imran Khan’s long held narrative that negotiations were the only viable option to promote peace and stability in the region.

She said Pakistan will continue its policy of supporting the Afghan people in their efforts to achieve lasting peace, stability and development in Afghanistan. On the issue of Afghan refugees in Pakistan, she said Pakistan hosted millions of Afghan refugees on its land which showed country’s hospitality and generosity.

Referring to inflation in the country, the special assistant said the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government was committed to overcoming inflation and providing immediate relief to the masses. She said prices of different edible items were witnessing decline owing to sincere efforts of Prime Minister Khan, adding further cut in prices of different edibles will be made to ease the burden of common man.

Dr Awan expressed the confidence that Pakistan had emerged successful in addressing all challenges at economic front due to prudent economic policies of the incumbent government. Taking a jibe at the Indian government, she regretted the Modi-led regime was engaged in suppressing the ongoing freedom struggle of the people of occupied Kashmir, saying such attempts were destined to fail.—Agencies