Ex-Pakistani PM requests Islamabad high court for protective bail ahead of return from exile

Former ousted Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, who had been in voluntary exile in London, is seeking protection from arrest in Islamabad ahead of his planned return to Pakistan.

Sharif is a fugitive from justice as he failed to appear before a court in 2019, Pakistani Dawn reported. He had initially stepped down in 2017 after a corruption conviction with graft charges following in 2019, which is when he traveled to London for medical treatment after complaining of chest pain, but his stay was extended, leading to his being wanted by Pakistani authorities since 2020.

Sharif is expected to return to Pakistan on October 21 after almost four years of self-imposed exile, and his return may involve addressing a rally in Lahore and surrendering to the court in Islamabad, depending on whether he is granted protection from arrest by the Islamabad High Court.