Nawaz Sharif busy in Dubai as NA passes bill paving way for his return

LONDON/DUBAI: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo and former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and the party’s Vice-President Maryam Nawaz Sharif have met members of the Dubai Royal family after reaching the Middle Eastern country a day earlier.

Nawaz reached Dubai from London on Saturday afternoon while Maryam arrived with her son Junaid Safdar and other members of the family at the same time from Lahore. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif remains in London and will be returning to Pakistan shortly.

The three-time prime minister is staying at the Emirates Hill residence of Ishaq Dar’s son and Sharif’s son-in-law Ali Dar who is married to Asma Sharif, the younger sister of Maryam.

Video obtained showed Nawaz and Maryam leaving Ali Dar’s residence in an entourage of cars, with the protocol from the Dubai authorities. The PML-N supremo travelled from London with Hussain Nawaz, Asma and Dr Adnan Khan.
Nawaz was received at the airport by the Dubai government protocol and his security protocol has been arranged by the government authorities.

Sources confirmed that Nawaz and Maryam attended six meetings on Sunday. One of the meetings was with leading businessmen.

According to sources, Nawaz held several important meetings in Dubai where the road map for his return was discussed in detail including Pakistan’s economic and political future. The PML-N sources have said that the former premier will be returning to Pakistan in the near future.

Sources have revealed that one meeting was held on Sunday afternoon had the longest discussion, but the attendees have not been disclosed as of now.

In particular, discussions focused on resolving legal entanglements that could be preventing Nawaz’s return home, with the expectation expressed that a solution will be found soon.

On the other hand, there are reports that the PML-N supremo will spend Eid ul Adha with his family in Dubai in the first week of July. Moreover, he is scheduled to have special meetings with the royal family in Saudi Arabia.

The hopes of Nawaz’s return to Pakistan increased on Sunday after the National Assembly on Sunday amended a law limiting the disqualification of a parliamentarian to a maximum of five years, paving the way for those barred for life from running for public office.

Nawaz and Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP) chief Jahangir Khan Tareen will be among those who will benefit from the move.

The Supreme Court disqualified both senior politicians in June and December 2017, respectively, under Article 62(1)(f) of the Constitution.

The Senate — the upper house of the parliament — had earlier this month approved the bill seeking amendments to Section 232 (Qualifications and Disqualifications) of the Election Act, 2017.

“Notwithstanding anything contained in any other provisions of this Act, any other law for the time being in force and Judgment, orders or decree of any court, including the Supreme Court and a High Court, the disqualification of a person to be elected, chosen, or to remain as a member of the Majlis-e-Shoora (Parliament) of 9 Provincial Assembly under Paragraph (1) of clause (1) of Article 62 of the Constitution shall be for a period not exceeding five years from the declaration by the court of law in that regard and such declaration shall be subject to the due process of law,” the bill reads.

Nawaz confirmed on Friday he would be visiting UAE and Saudi Arabia for about three weeks.

Hussain Nawaz — the elder son of the former prime minister — had also told reporters that his father would be going to Dubai and would travel to Saudi Arabia to perform Hajj.