LONDON: Nawaz Sharif, former PML-N president and returning to London over the weekend, is scheduled to spend less than a week here before traveling to another country for a medical examination.
Dawn was informed by sources that Nawaz would only be in London for less than a week and that he would be going to another country for a medical checkup, where his daughter, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, would likely accompany him.
Many people on social media pointed out that, unlike the day Nawaz arrived from Pakistan, when he returned to the UK from the United States, he was driven to his apartment in Avenfield House on Saturday evening, there were no PTI protesters in his vehicle.
However, on Sunday evening, a large group of PTI supporters gathered near 10 Downing Street, the British PM’s office, to call on Pakistani authorities to uphold the rule of law and secure the release of party founder Imran Khan.
Protest at Downing Street PTI supporters came from all over London, Leeds, Luton, Manchester, and Birmingham to join the demonstration and register their opposition.
There were people of all ages in attendance, many of whom were holding posters calling for Mr. Khan’s release. Posters also called on the government to “free political prisoners.”
Zulfi Bukhari, a UK campaigner for the PTI, was prominent among those in attendance and delivered a speech. In addition, the protest was attended by Shahbaz Gill, a former PTI government adviser who has been in the United States since the anti-party campaign began in India.
The protest was originally scheduled for the end of October, but Mr. Gill was added to the original date.
“They are making a fool of you by telling you that Imran Khan is making a deal, that he is weak, or that he is compromising on his position. He added that this protest was held solely to demand Imran Khan’s release because you believe in conspiracies and because we are a weak nation. We are not brave.
PTI social media lead Azhar Mashwani and Shehzad Akbar, a former adviser to Mr. Khan who has been in the UK for more than a year, both spoke at the podium.
Mr. Bokhari told Dawn that Azhar Mashwani has “faced persecution himself, and his family have been through hell” in response to criticism of the PTI leaders for leaving the country. He left since there was a danger to his life. Regarding myself, Khan sahab instructed me to remain outside when I was present long before his arrest.
“We made it possible to raise awareness about Mr. Khan’s imprisonment and engage the international media and the United Nations by being here.”
Shayan Ali, a well-known PTI activist, attended the protest as well, but he was not invited to speak.
Mr. Bukhari stated, “There are many supporters of Mr Khan, but they all are not part of the PTI,” when asked to comment on Mr. Ali’s recent action to chase Justice Qazi Faez Isa’s car outside Middle Temple last week. Leaders of the PTI discuss democracy and the rule of law.
Plans for Nawaz’s travel In relation to the PML-N president’s visit to the UK, sources stated that Nawaz would return to Pakistan at the end of November after three weeks.
Even though he has always had his medical checkups in London, it appears that the decision was made to have his medical checkup and treatment in another foreign country because of privacy concerns and the PTI’s growing protests and demonstrations outside Nawaz’s home and office. His doctors diagnosed him with coronary artery disease in 2019.