Govt sends letter to UK authorities seeking Nawaz's deportation

ISLAMABAD: The federal government has sent a letter to the UK authorities asking them to deport former prime minister Nawaz Sharif to Pakistan, confirmed Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Information and Broadcasting Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan, a few days after the Punjab government decided to cancel his bail. 

Briefing the media about the cabinet meeting held earlier, Dr Firdous said "The letter to bring a foreigner back home has been sent", referring to Nawaz who was allowed by the Islamabad High Court to go abroad for medical treatment last year. 

Dr Firdous said that based on Shehbaz Sharif's reaction, it seemed that the letter written by the foreign ministry had arrived in the UK. She said that sending the letter to the UK authorities was necessary to fulfill legal requirements. 

A couple of days ago, Dr Firdous had said that the government had decided to write to UK authorities to deport the former prime minister. She had accused the PML-N of not providing the Punjab government with updated medical reports of the PML-N chief. 

Read more: PTI govt to write UK for Nawaz Sharif’s deportation: Awan

“Nawaz Sharif did not provide his medical reports to the Punjab government and time has now come that he should be brought back," she had said during an event in Sialkot. 

Dr Firdous also blamed a section of the media for creating an environment and portraying as if the former prime minister's health was in danger if he was not allowed to leave the country. 

The PML-N, on the other hand, has maintained that Nawaz's medical reports had been sent to the Punjab government. The party accused the government of resorting to political revenge. 

Strict screening to be introduced at entry points, PM Imran wants further relief for the poor

She said that the cabinet was given a briefing on the coronavirus situation in Pakistan. Dr Firdous said that the cabinet had decided to tackle the coronavirus situation in coordination with provincial governments. She said that the cabinet had called on taking stringent monitoring and screening measures at entry points, especially airports, to contain the coronavirus. 

Prime Minister Imran was briefed about the economic situation during the session. Dr Firdous said the prime minister directed the government to ensure that food items were provided to the public at low cost. The premier was told that the government's economic policies were providing relief to citizens. 

During the session, PM Imran praised Federal Minister for Power Omar Ayub's performance, according to Dr Awan. She said that Ayub briefed the prime minister on overbilling and electricity tariffs. PM Imran directed the government to bring down electricity costs so that people can avail maximum benefit. 

She disclosed that the prime minister took notice of corporal punishments of children in schools and directed the government to take action against this practice. He tasked the human rights ministry to legislate on the matter.