NAWAZ LEAVES FOR LONDON TO VISIT HIS AILING WIFE KULSOOM

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s ousted prime minister Nawaz Sharif on Wednesday left for London with his daughter Maryam Nawaz to visit his ailing wife Kulsoom, assuring his supporters he would return to face graft charges.

“Begum Kulsoom Nawaz has been under treatment in a hospital in London as her condition is serious,” the family spokesperson said, adding that Sharif and Maryam have to be with her.

The spokesman did not reveal Sharif’s return schedule, leading analysts to speculate he might not come back because of a likely conviction in the three corruption cases against him.

The National Accountability Bureau has summoned Sharif for allegedly misusing his authority for the illegal construction of a road leading to his residence and Raiwind. Sharif, who was disqualified by the Supreme Court last year, is due to appear in court on April 23 in a corruption case.

The NAB had asked the government to include the names of Sharif, his children Hassan, Hussain and Maryam, and his son-inlaw Safdar Muhammad on the Exit Control List — all of them are being tried in courts cases related to the Panama Papers leaks. However, the government has not added their names to the list so far.

Hassan and Hussain are already in London and both have been declared fugitives by the court.