Nawaz seeks passport renewal, Interior Ministry refuses

LONDON/ISLAMABAD: Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif wrote to the Pakistan High Commission in London on February 15 for the renewal of his diplomatic passport.

Diplomatic sources here confirmed that the request letter from Nawaz Sharif, who has been living in London for over 16 months, came just a day before the expiry of his diplomatic passport on February 16. The News has seen a copy of the letter.

Nawaz Sharif addressed his letter to Pakistan High Commissioner Moazzam Ahmed Khan. In the two lines letter, Nawaz Sharif wrote: “As you may be aware that February 16, 2021 is the expiry date of my diplomatic passport number BV5128363.”

The former PM requested the high commissioner to “take all the steps necessary in accordance with” the rules and regulations to issue new diplomatic passport to him.

Diplomatic sources said the Pakistan High Commission in London wrote to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) requesting advice. Diplomatic sources said the MoFA forwarded the letter to the Ministry of Interior (MoI) which has now leaked the response to the media. The Ministry of Interior has now sought details of Nawaz Sharif's medical treatment in the United Kingdom.

A letter by the Interior Ministry written to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has sought details of the following: (a) Current diagnosis by the medical doctors; (b) name and address of doctors under whom you are receiving medical treatment; (c) copies of all the medical reports including tests undertaken in the UK with results of the tests; (d) details of treatment (if any) received in the UK hospitals; (e) details of ongoing treatment (if any); (f) details of payments made for medical treatment in the UK; (g) dates of visits and consultations made with doctors in the UK.

The ministry's move comes in pursuance of the Lahore High Court's November 16, 2019 verdict and the undertakings provided by Nawaz and Shahbaz Sharif before the court.

The letter called upon Nawaz Sharif to sign an attached consent form for release of medical information to the Pakistan High Commission in London.

"The (high commission) will then contact the medical team for collection of medical information," reads the letter, reminding all parties concerned that the former premier had agreed to provide medical information to the government according to the Lahore High Court's judgement.

In another letter, the Interior Ministry has instructed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs against processing the passport renewal application of Nawaz Sharif, stating that he has been declared an absconder and proclaimed offender by the Islamabad High Court (IHC) in the Toshakhana reference as well as a reference of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).

"Nawaz Sharif is thereby required to return to Pakistan and appear before the relevant courts to face charges. He being a fugitive of law and absconder cannot seek any further relief unless he surrenders before the courts in Pakistan," reads the letter.

The Interior Ministry said Nawaz was allowed bail by the LHC for eight weeks in the form of suspension of his sentence. However, the Punjab government did not extend the bail after the time period expired since Nawaz had failed to provide "reasonable cause".

"Nawaz Sharif is now required to serve the remainder of his sentence at Kot Lakhpat Jail, Lahore. Yet, rather than obeying the dictates of the court and abiding by the conditions precedent in the bail granting order, he fled the country to avoid prosecution," stated the letter.

The LHC had allowed the government to remove Nawaz' Sharif’s name from the Exit Control List (ECL) without any conditions for a time period of four weeks, after which the PML-N supremo left for London. The LHC had declared the plea admissible regarding the removal of Nawaz Sharif’s name from the ECL on a conditional basis — the government had said it would allow a “one-time permission” provided Nawaz Sharif deposits surety bonds worth Rs7-7.5 billion.

In its decision, the LHC said that in case Nawaz's health doesn't improve then the time-period can be extended, adding that the government officials will be able to contact Nawaz through the Pakistani embassy.