Nawaz's London visit shouldn't be excuse to avoid accountability: PTI

ISLAMABAD: Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif's visit to Britain "should not become an excuse to escape accountability", the spokesperson for the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) warned Tuesday.

Fawad Chaudhry said Sharif's trip to London alongside his daughter Maryam Nawaz was concerning, especially considering the ongoing court matters.

The ex-premier will be leaving for London today, according to a family spokesperson, to visit Begum Kulsoom Nawaz, his ailing wife who is critically ill and has been in the hospital for the past few days.

Nawaz Sharif, Maryam to fly out to London today

'Begum Kulsoom Nawaz is critically ill and admitted to a hospital since the past few days'

"The proceedings of the accountability court are now in their final stages," Chaudhry claimed.

"Nawaz [and his daughter] travelling abroad gives birth to suspicions that he is attempting to escape the court's ruling.

The PTI member highlighted how it was pertinent to make sure that the process of accountability should not be impacted and that the "primary accused" does not flee.

The former PM's visit to London to see his "wife shouldn't become an excuse [for him] to escape," Chaudhry stressed, saying that the father of Sharif's son-in-law also "ran away under the pretence of sickness".

He was referring to former minister for finance Ishaq Dar.

Nawaz and his family are facing three corruption cases in the accountability court after the National Accountability Bureau filed references against them in light of the Supreme Court's verdict in the Panama Papers case.