Nawaz Sharif, a three-time former Prime Minister of Pakistan, is making a comeback after his third exile, facing numerous legal challenges upon his return. His homecoming under a caretaker government has stirred a unique political landscape with no official opposition to his arrival, presenting tough obstacles to navigate.
Sharif's return is marked by an ongoing legal battle in the courts. If the appeals against his sentence receive approval for re-examination in the Islamabad High Court (IHC), Sharif might be eligible to seek bail.
The legal saga traces back to July 16, 2018, when Nawaz Sharif filed an appeal in the Islamabad High Court, requesting the suspension of his sentence and bail related to the Avenfield reference case. His plea was granted in September 2018, resulting in the release of Sharif, Maryam Nawaz, and Captain (R) Safdar on bail. However, another blow came in December 2018 when a seven-year imprisonment sentence was handed down in the Al-Azizia case.
His medical conditions led to extensions. In March 2019, the Supreme Court granted a six-week extension, while the Islamabad High Court extended the suspension on medical grounds for eight weeks on October 29, 2019. Sharif eventually left for London for medical treatment on November 19, 2019.
On December 2, 2020, the Islamabad High Court declared Sharif's non-appearance admissible in both references and laid out a provision that allowed the reinstatement of his appeals upon his return.
During the PML-N supremo’s absence, the Tosha Khana reference case was filed in March 2020. The case also names Asif Zardari, Yusuf Raza Gilani, Abdul Ghani Majeed, and Anwar Majeed as accused. On September 9, 2020, the accountability court indicted four accused, including former President Asif Zardari and former Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani, in the Tosha Khana reference case. Meanwhile, Sharif was issued a permanent arrest warrant due to his continued non-attendance.
With the suspension of the arrest warrant, Mian Nawaz Sharif is now expected to appear in the same case on October 24. The accountability court has also warned of potential consequences for his non-appearance.
