Party releases anthem to mark Sharif’s homecoming.
ISLAMABAD/ LAHORE - The Islamabad High Court (IHC) Thursday granted protective bail to Pakistan Muslim League - Nawaz (PML-N) Quaid Nawaz Sharif till October 24 in Al-Azizia and Avenfield references.
A division bench of IHC comprising Chief Justice Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb conducted hearing of Sharif’s protective bail pleas and granted him bail after the NAB prosecutor informed the bench that the Bureau had no objection for the grant of relief to petitioner in the instant petition.
During the hearing, Deputy Prosecutor General Naeem Tariq Sanghera, Senior Special Prosecutor Muhammad Rafay Maqsood and Special Prosecutor Muhammad Afzal Qureshi appeared before the bench on behalf of National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in response to the notices issued by the IHC bench.
Sanghera again reiterated the stance of NAB and submitted that he had been instructed by NAB Prosecutor General to state that the prosecution agency had no objection for the grant of relief to the petitioner in the instant petition by way of protection from the arrest in the appeal / case in hand.
The IHC bench noted, “Since the respondent has accorded its consent and decided not to contest the petition, let the petitioner appear before this court on 24.10.2023.” It added, “Meanwhile, he shall not be arrested on his arrival in Pakistan until he surrenders before this court. This issues with the consent of the learned deputy prosecutor general, NAB Headquarters.”
Nawaz’s counsels, including former law minister Azam Nazir Tarar and Amjad Pervaiz, appeared before the court while NAB prosecutor Sanghera presented his arguments in favour of the petitions moved by Sharif.
At this, the IHC Chief Justice asked that why the NAB’s stance had changed? The prosecutor replied that the NAB’s stance was the same. He maintained that the prosecution had no objection to protective bail being granted. He added that their stance remained that if he [Nawaz] wished to appear before the court, he could do so. He mentioned that the IHC had also written in its order that when the petitioner returns, he could “restore his appeal”. Justice Aamer again asked about NAB’s stance. The prosecutor responded, “The NAB has the stance for now that if he comes back, we have no objection to it”. The IHC chief justice inquired that from whom he had taken directions. To this, Sanghera answered that he had taken directives from the NAB prosecutor general. Justice Aamer directed him to submit a written statement to the court that the NAB had no objection to Nawaz’s return. Subsequently, the IHC bench accepted the former prime minister’s petitions granting him protective bail and restraining the police from arresting him on his arrival in the country on October 21 (Saturday).
The three-time former prime minister was declared a proclaimed offender by IHC in the Avenfield and Al-Azizia cases over non-compliance after he went to London for medical treatment with the court’s permission in November 2019. In Avenfield and Al-Azizia references, Nawaz was sentenced to 10 and 7 years in prison, respectively, by an accountability court in 2018. His appeals against the convictions were dismissed by the IHC bench comprising IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani for non-compliance. Nawaz’s sentence in Al-Azizia reference was suspended in 2019 by the Lahore High Court (LHC) on medical grounds and he was permitted to fly to London to seek treatment, after which he did not return.
Meanwhile, with the stage all set to welcome the PML-N leader Mian Nawaz Sharif on Saturday, party convoys commenced their journeys towards Lahore from various corners of the country on Thursday evening.
As the preparations for Nawaz Sharif’s grand reception reached their peak, a convoy of enthusiastic party workers embarked on their journey from Gilgit-Baltistan to Lahore on Thursday. Simultaneously, a special train, departing from Sindh, made its way towards Lahore in the evening. Trains and vehicles from different regions of the nation have been adorned with pictures, slogans, and messages of Nawaz Sharif, who is scheduled to arrive in Lahore on Saturday afternoon. Special trains, carrying fervent supporters from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan are scheduled to depart for Lahore on Friday (Today).
In Lahore, meticulous arrangements have been put in place for the influx of caravans from all parts of the country. Committees established for this purpose have diligently completed their preparations, including devising a comprehensive traffic plan for the impending event. The stage at Minar- e-Pakistan has also been meticulously prepared, with PML-N leader Bilal Yasin personally inspecting the venue on Thursday afternoon. He expressed the party’s anticipation of a gathering of one million people at this historic location on October 21.
Meanwhile, Mian Nawaz Sharif arrived in Dubai from Saudi Arabia as part of his onward journey to Pakistan. He will be hosted at the residence of Ali Dar, the son of senior party leader Ishaq Dar. Nawaz will be meeting a selected group of people during his two-day stay in Dubai.
On Saturday morning, Nawaz Sharif is expected to take a chartered flight from Dubai to Islamabad, accompanied by senior PML-N leaders, including Ishaq Dar and Irfan Siddiqui. According to Azam Nazir Tarar, a senior PML-N lawyer, Nawaz Sharif will then proceed to Lahore after fulfilling the requisite legal formalities in the federal capital. As per the party’s plan, Sharif will be transported from Lahore Airport to the Minar-e-Pakistan ground via helicopter. The former prime minister and leader of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) had been living in exile for several years, primarily in London, due to health concerns and a series of legal cases against him. His anticipated return marks a pivotal moment in Pakistan’s politics, stirring both excitement and apprehension among his supporters and opponents alike. Also, the PML-N Thursday unveiled its party anthem in a ceremony held at a local hotel on Thursday evening, celebrating the imminent return of party leader Mian Nawaz Sharif to the country. The anthem’s central theme revolves around the belief that Nawaz Sharif will return, guided by the blessings of God Almighty, to lead the nation out of its current challenges. It also pays tribute to Mian Nawaz Sharif’s past accomplishments during his tenure as the country’s prime minister.
Shehbaz Sharif, the PML-N president and the brother of Nawaz Sharif, officially released the anthem by placing his hand on a screen set up on the stage. The event was graced by the presence of other senior party leaders, including Maryam Nawaz Sharif, Hamza Shehbaz, Ahsan Iqbal, Marriyam Aurangzeb, Rana Sana Ullah, and various other high-ranking members of the PML-N.
“This song perfectly reflects the euphoric feelings of every Pakistani on the return of Nawaz Sharif. The anticipation, the excitement, the optimism…It’s all palpable!! Welcome back my leader. Your motherland awaits you inshallah”, Maryam Nawaz Sharif commented in a post on social media site X after the conclusion of the event.
Addressing the inauguration of the party anthem, ShEhbaz Sharif, the Central President of the PML-N extended his congratulations to Maryam Nawaz for presenting a stirring anthem that stirs the soul. He emphasized the need to welcome Nawaz Sharif’s return with open arms, asserting that every segment of society and all sub-organizations should embrace this welcome. The anthem itself serves as a testament to the anticipation surrounding Nawaz Sharif’s arrival, and Shahbaz Sharif rallied the crowd with resounding chants of “Nawaz Sharif will come,” reaffirming his belief that Nawaz Sharif will rejuvenate the nation’s progress.
Maryam Nawaz, the Chief Organizer and Senior Vice President of the Pakistan Muslim League-N, also spoke at the anthem’s launch. She heralded a new dawn of hope for Pakistan and its people. Maryam Nawaz also praised the unwavering resilience of her father and uncle, Shahbaz Sharif, acknowledging their indomitable spirit. She highlighted the PML-N’s powerful ideology, asserting that the party is continuously evolving on modern lines, with the use of artificial intelligence in crafting the anthem, which encapsulates the party’s journey through its ups and downs.