Pakistan: Ailing former prime minister Nawaz Sharif set to leave for London

Dubai: Three-time former Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif is set to fly to London for medical treatment, a senior member of his party from Lahore told Gulf News on Sunday.

He said that the ailing leader of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) was earlier scheduled to leave Pakistan on Sunday but his departure was delayed because of bureaucratic hindrance as they failed to remove his name from the travel ban list (Exit Control List-ECL).

However, Pakistan's Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi denied these allegations on Sunday and said that the government had created no impediments for Nawaz Sharif in going abroad. He said that Sharif was allowed to go anywhere for his medical treatment.

Another official said that the government, in fact, was providing all possible help to ensure Sharif's travel to avoid a backlash. “Sharif’s health is deteriorating and Prime Minister Imran Khan does not want to take any blame in case anything worse happen to Sharif who still leads the largest political party in Pakistan,” the official said while requesting anonymity.

According to PML-N sources, Sharif is in an extremely critical medical condition, which is worsening, as his platelet count is not stabilising. For travelling he had to be prepped with potent steroids, and this dichotomy in the government’s statements and actions is only making matters worse, Dawn news reported .

“Who will be blamed if complications arise from such impediments to his travel,” he said.

On Friday, Nawaz - convicted in the Al-Azizia corruption case - was allowed in principle to travel abroad for seeking medical treatment, while his daughter Maryam Nawaz - who is on bail in the Chaudhry Sugar Mills case - has to stay in the country till further orders, according to a decision taken by PM Khan.

Islamabad High Court on October 29 granted bail to Sharif suspending his jail term for eight weeks on medical grounds.