Interior Minister in his recent announcement
Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed announced on Wednesday that the government will revoke the passport of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, who is in London in connection with his treatment, on Feb 16.
While talking to the media in Islamabad, he said the Peoples Party is going to take part in the upcoming Senate elections, which means it will also participate in by-polls on vacant seats of the National and provincial assemblies.
“What I had been saying all along has turned out to be true,”
Sheikh Rasheed said.
He asked why all thieves have banded together. Opposition leaders complain of “vengeance” when their corruption is exposed, he maintained.
Government Approach
The government has already approached UK authorities to extradite Nawaz Sharif. Special Assistant to PM Imran Khan on Accountability Shahzad Akbar had said that it is up to the British government to decide on the extradition of the former premier.
UK Home Office
In Nawaz’s case, the government of Pakistan is hoping to persuade UK authorities to bring about a “administrative removal” a scenario in which the Home Office enforces an individual’s removal from the UK if they don’t have leave to remain i.e. if their application has been declined or if their leave to remain has expired.
While the Nawaz case is exceptional in that it involves a major political personality, it has come to the UK Home Office at a time when it is under fire at home for being a haven for foreign nationals accused of corruption.
Eagle Squad
The PML-N supreme was granted an eight-week bail on medical grounds in October 2019 and a month later he was allowed to travel abroad for treatment for four weeks. The government maintains that Nawaz was permitted on condition he would share details of treatment which he didn’t do. He also mentioned that the government is going to launch an “eagle squad” to counter terror threat to the federal capital.
Open Government
With the end of Interior Minister’s speech he questioned about talks with opposition, he said the government’s doors are open for all, including what he said thieves, for a conversation. He announced that he would hold an important press conference on Friday.