PPP welcomes Nawaz Sharif’s return to Pakistan: Bilawal Bhutto

Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari said Saturday his party welcomed Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif’s plan to return.

“It has been PPP’s long-standing demand that Nawaz should return. PPP is very happy that he is coming back. It is incumbent upon everyone to work for Pakistan’s development,” Bilawal, a former foreign minister, told a press conference in Jacoabad.

The PML-N supremo plans to return to Pakistan — after a 4-year hiatus — on October 21, according to his party, with preparations underway to welcome the senior politician.

Nawaz, a former three-time prime minister, has been residing in London since 2019 after he travelled to the British capital for medical treatment in the middle of his seven-year jail term, which was approved by the Lahore High Court.

Just ahead of his expected arrival, a fresh medical report of the former premier was submitted to the LHC Friday.

In the fresh medical report filed today by Nawaz’s legal team, Professor Carlo di Mario of London’s Royal Brompton Hospital stated that he has been treating “this patient with previous CABG, multiple angioplasties and ablations, throughout his stay in London in the past years.”

“…due to diffuse distal coronary disease in a patient with diabetes and multiple other comorbidities that would require frequent follow-up investigations both in London and Pakistan.”

Read more: PPP will only talk about making alliances once election schedule is announced, says Bilawal

His return also comes ahead of the general elections in 2024 and the PML-N expects that it will get a boost due to Nawaz’s presence.

Taking a jibe at the PML-N, Bilawal said the preparations of the party to welcome their leader “were not up to the mark” and they could have “at least done wall chalking”.

“This is a test for those who were ministers during Nawaz and PDM’s tenure,” the PPP chief said.

PPP to contest polls sans alliance

In his press conference, Bilawal also mentioned that his party was heading into the general elections without an alliance and it “stands firm” on this decision.

“PPP’s going to contest polls on its own symbol, we will not be a part of [any alliance, including] PDM.”

On the possibility of an alliance with the Imran Khan-led Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Bilawal said the PPP had no plans in this regard as of yet.

“Until those involved in the events of May 9 aren’t ‘minused’, there is no chance of an alliance,” Bilawal said, as several PTI workers and leaders face jail time and penalties for their involvement in attacks on state installations.