Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif returns home after prolonged visit

• Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif extended his stay in London twice.
• PM developed a fever before leaving for airport on Saturday.
  
• Discussed army chief appointment with PML-N supremo.

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif landed home from Britain after a drawn-out visit, marked by his political consultations with PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif.

Family sources said he extended his stay in London twice as his hectic schedule took a toll on his health.

According to sources close to the Sharif family, PM Shehbaz developed a fever before leaving for the airport on Saturday and his family advised him not to travel, so he rescheduled his flight home on Sunday.

The premier arrived in London a few days ago after attending the COP27 meeting in Egypt and was scheduled to leave for Pakistan on Friday, but he extended his stay by one day. 

During his stay in London, the prime minister held several meetings with his elder brother, Nawaz Sharif, over political matters and the appointment of the next army chief.

The PML-N — the major stakeholder in the ruling coalition — leadership then resolved to appoint the senior-most officer whose name is at the top of the list that would be sent to the government. Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa is set to retire on November 29.

Before reaching London, the premier was in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, where he attended as well as co-hosted the COP27 climate change conference.

At the climate summit, PM Shehbaz called on the international world to take joint responsibility and support Pakistan as the cataclysmic floods had devastated the country and dealt losses worth more than $30 billion.