Daily Times

Ailing former prime minister Nawaz Sharif will depart from Pakistan on Tuesday, his party confirmed on Sunday.

Marriyum Aurangzeb, information secretary of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), released a statement saying that an air ambulance would arrive on Tuesday morning to transport Nawaz to London for medical treatment.

She said the doctors conducted a detailed examination of the three-time former prime minister and cleared him for travel after consultation among themselves.

“A high dose of steroids continues to bring his platelet count to a suitable level for travel. He is also receiving medication for blood sugar and other medical issues. The doctors are following a rigorous strategy to ensure he is able to travel safely,” said Marriyum.

PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif also issued a statement on Sunday in which he particularly thanked the allied parties of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)-led government.

“We are grateful to the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) and the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) for their wishes and support for Nawaz Sharif,” said Shehbaz.

“We are also grateful to Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi, and Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani. We would also like to thank the Awami National Party (ANP) and the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) for their kind wishes and messages of support.”

Shehbaz lauded Pakistan’s political parties for setting an example of unity and putting an end to politics driven by retribution and enmity.

Earlier on Sunday, Nawaz’s personal physician Dr Adnan Khan said the ex-prime minister would be going to London within the next 48 hours “once he’s clinically stabilised, made travel-worthy & is safe for air travel”.

According to reports, Hussain Nawaz had booked an air ambulance for his father. “It will arrive here in Lahore on Tuesday and subject to permission of his doctors, Nawaz will leave for London on the same day,” a PML-N leader had said on the condition of anonymity.

“His brother Shehbaz Sharif and [personal physician] Dr Adnan Khan are accompanying him as per the existing understanding. It will be decided on Sunday as to who else could also fly with Mian Sahib (Nawaz),” the leader added.

On Saturday, the Lahore High Court (LHC) allowed Nawaz to travel abroad for medical treatment without having to sign the indemnity bond suggested by the federal government.

According to the order by a two-member bench after day-long proceedings, Shehbaz could accompany his brother abroad for four weeks.

The high court directed the federal government to remove the former premier from the Exit Control List (ECL) without any conditions.

Justice Ali Baqar Najafi and Justice Sardar Ahmad Naeem heard the petition challenging the government’s condition of furnishing indemnity bonds to remove Nawaz’s name from the no-fly list.

During the hearing, Justice Najafi remarked that in his opinion, it was not fair for the government to place conditions after the Islamabad High Court had granted bail to the former PM.