Govt 'lost psychological war against Nawaz': Maryam reacts to buzz surrounding visa extension denial

• UK turns down Nawaz Sharif's application for visa extension.
• Nawaz has gotten on government's nerves, Maryam Nawaz says.
• You cannot earn respect by demeaning others, she adds.

PTI-led government has "lost the psychological war" against former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, PML-N vice-president Maryam Nawaz said Friday.

Her comments came after the Centre slammed PML-N as the United Kingdom decided to turn down Nawaz Sharif's stay extension.

"The excitement of government representatives — from top to bottom — over the visa issue is a sign that Nawaz Sharif has gotten on their nerves," the PML-N vice-president said in a tweet.

Maryam said the government was "well aware" that Nawaz is not only "the present of Pakistan but he is also the future."

The PML-N vice-president claimed the government could clearly see their defeat right in front of them — despite others not being able to see them.

You cannot earn respect by demeaning others, she added.

Nawaz’s visa to the United Kingdom remains valid but his application for an extension in stay has been turned down by the Home Office with the right to appeal against the decision.

Hussain Nawaz Sharif confirmed that Nawaz’s extension in stay application had been rejected but an appeal has already been lodged at the Immigration Tribunal.

“While rejecting the application, the Home Office allowed the right to appeal and the process has already started. We are confident that the Immigration Tribunal will grant an extension to Nawaz Sharif taking into consideration all the facts," Hussain Nawaz said.

Meanwhile, a day earlier, PML-N spokesperson Marriyum Aurangzeb had told Geo News that the British home department stated in their response that Nawaz could appeal the decision with an immigration tribunal.

She said Nawaz's lawyers had, therefore, filed an appeal with the tribunal, which include his medical records.

Marriyum said that until the tribunal makes a decision, the home department's orders will remain ineffective.

"Nawaz Sharif can legally reside in Britain until the decision," she said.

'Either you return the money or you go to jail'

Reacting to the development, Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry had said the former prime minister only has a couple of options left.

The first is that he can go to the Pakistani embassy, where he will be provided with temporary travel documents, through which he can travel back to Pakistan and answer for the crimes he has been charged with, said Chaudhry.

The second option is that he can challenge the decision — "and he does not have any grounds for that as he is not sick," the minister said.

"We have seen him [in videos] walking in London and dining out in restaurants. He will now lie to British courts of his sickness. He might even get sentenced for lying," Chaudhry said.

He said that in his opinion, Nawaz should come back to Pakistan by obtaining temporary travel documents and face the charges against him in the country's courts. He said that Pakistan had asked the British government not to allow anyone "involved in corruption worth billions of rupees".

"Imran Khan and PTI have no personal enmity with Nawaz. The only issue we have is that he laundered billions of rupees abroad and is now an absconder," the minister said.

He said the "laundered money" should be brought back to Pakistan, and that if Nawaz returns the money, "he can come back and live at his home in the country".

"It is simple: Either you return the money or you go to jail."