Legislation to ease return of Nawaz Sharif

LAHORE: The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government is considering relevant legislation to ease the return of its supreme leader Nawaz Sharif, who is in a self-imposed exile in London on medical grounds, to Pakistan, the media reported.

PML-N leader and Pakistan Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah has already said the coalition government might make certain amendments that would help repeal the ban imposed on Sharif by a Supreme Court judgement in the Panama Papers case against him, the Dawn reported.

"The parliament can undo the lifetime ban on politicians and it may not be struck down by the court," an insider told Dawn.

"Nawaz Sharif will be the ultimate beneficiary if this legislation is brought to parliament and subsequently adopted," the insider said, adding that the introduction of this legislation would be linked to the outcome of the Supreme Court Bar Association's petition in the apex court challenging lifetime ban on politicians.

Earlier, PML-N Vice-President Maryam Nawaz had hinted that her father wanted to come back but there were 'certain problems' hindering his return.

Besides, she had also referred to not getting a 'green light' from the powerful circles for his return, Dawn reported.

After Shehbaz Sharif managed to become the premier in April last, some PML-N leaders were excited hoping that their supreme leader would now be among them soon. But legal hiccups are said to be the main hurdles in his return plans.

Nawaz Sharif will likely make his return to Pakistan ahead of the general elections as PML-N leaders think his presence in the field is necessary to stop Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) juggernaut.

In the face of the rising popularity of the PTI chairman who was ousted as the prime minister in April this year, the entire PML-N leadership is unanimous that the party needs Nawaz to be in Pakistan ahead of the polls if it wants to score a victory, Dawn reported.