Nawaz Sharif an 'Absconder', have approached UK for his Extradition, says Pakistan Govt

The Govt. of Pakistan has declared Ex-PM Nawaz Sharif, currently in London for treatment, an absconder & approached the UK Govt for his extradition.

Adviser to the PM on Accountability & Interior Shahzad Akbar said that Sharif's 4-week bail on medical grounds expired in Dec 2019.

The Govt is treating the former PM as an absconder & has already sent a request to the British Govt to extradite him, Akbar was quoted as saying by the Dawn News on Saturday.

The 70-year-old three-time premier, who was sentenced in a graft case by an accountability court, informed a court in Lahore last month that he is unable to return to the country as his doctors have told him not to go out due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Sharif submitted his medical report to the Lahore High Court (LHC) through his counsel & said doctors have recommended him to avoid going outside due to the coronavirus as he has low platelet counts, diabetes, heart, kidney & blood pressure related problems.

Akbar said the Govt would request the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to pursue Sharif's extradition as well & it was also looking into legalities of guarantees of Shahbaz Sharif, who was supposed to escort his elder brother back to Pakistan after his medical treatment.

His comments came after a new picture was shared on social media which shows Sharif walking on the streets of London with his son, Hassan Nawaz holding an umbrella.

His stroll on London roads is a slap in the face of the judiciary & the Govt can't allow this. There is nothing personal in it: we are only trying to implement the law & fulfil its requirements, the adviser was quoted as saying.

He is currently in London for treatment after he was diagnosed with an immune system disorder. He left for the UK in Nov 2019, after the High Court of Lahore granted him 4-week permission to go abroad for treatment.

Akbar alleged that ex-premier submitted fake lab reports. The adviser said that on Oct 29 last year the Court granted Sharif 8-week bail for treatment within Pakistan & on Nov 16, he got 4-week permission to travel abroad for treatment.

He said that the Ex-PM was supposed to keep the Court & the Punjab Govt updated about his treatment by sharing the details of the process of his treatment & test reports which he did not do.

He said that Sharif applied to the Punjab Govt for bail extension on Feb 19.

He said that "A medical board was constituted which sought details of medical procedures being done & test reports of Sharif, but nothing was shared".

He said that the law ministry, NAB & the prison department were informed about the bail expiry & rejection of its extension when the medical board got nothing as evidence document.

He said the UK Govt was also informed about the development on March 2 with a request for his extradition.

Commenting on recent pictures of Sharif, Akbar said that the former premier looked perfectly fine in the pictures being shared by his sons, the daily reported.

Sharif's daughter Maryam Nawaz had said her father was a high-risk patient therefore his cardiac catheterisation or coronary intervention had been postponed owing to COVID-19.

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