Nawaz to return on Wednesday after stopover in Saudi Arabia: sources

By
Murtaza Ali Shah
|

LONDON: After a change in plans for the second time, former prime minister Nawaz Sharif reached Saudi Arabia from London today. 

He will now return to Pakistan on Wednesday after a two-day stay in the kingdom, sources informed on Monday.

Sources further added that the former prime minister will appear before the accountability court on Thursday. 

The change in plans came on Sunday when the former premier’s visa arrived for his travel to Jeddah.

Sharif’s mother is staying in Jeddah and sources revealed that he would take his mother along for performing Umrah with him.

The former prime minister will then leave for Islamabad, sources further said.

This is said to be a completely private visit, during which no other meetings are on the agenda, according to sources.

After his arrival in Jeddah, Nawaz was received by Saudi officials and members of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz at the airport. 

He then proceeded to his younger son Hussain's residence from where he will go to Mecca to perform Umrah with his mother. 

As per earlier news, Nawaz had booked an air ticket for a return flight to Pakistan on October 21. He was to board Pakistan International Airline's flight PK-758 from London to Lahore.

However it later emerged that Nawaz would arrive in Pakistan from London on October 24 via PK-758, but that plan too has been altered.

Nawaz has been indicted in three corruption cases against him and his family. 

The former prime minister missed three hearings of Supreme Court-directed corruption cases against him in an accountability court.

Nawaz had reached London on October 4 to spend time with his wife Kulsoom who is undergoing treatment for cancer.

That was the second visit of the former premier to London after his wife was diagnosed with lymphoma (cancer of lymph nodes) by British doctors on August 22.