Nawaz Sharif’s Return Imminent as Federal Govt Issues Diplomatic Passport

The head of the PMN-N and former Prime Minister (PM), Nawaz Sharif, has been given a diplomatic passport by the federal government following approval from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA).

According to the details, the passport, which has a five-year expiration date, was sent to the PML-N chief via the Passport and Immigration Office.

It is important to note that Nawaz Sharif’s passport was revoked by the previous PTI regime after the court found him guilty.

Note here that a regular passport with a 10-year validity period was given to Nawaz in April, just a week after his party assumed control of the federal government following a successful motion of no-confidence against the then-PM, Imran Khan.

Moreover, Imran Khan’s government refused to renew Nawaz Sharif’s passport after it expired in February 2021, while the then-Interior Minister, Sheikh Rasheed, suggested issuing a special travel permit to PML-N’s chief to bring him back to Pakistan.

It is pertinent to mention that former presidents and PMs are allowed to carry diplomatic passports under the law.

This month, PML-N’s Vice President (VP) and Nawaz Sharif’s daughter, Maryam Nawaz, hinted at her father’s return to the country after Islamabad High Court (IHC) observed that the ruling against the Sharif family in Avenfield apartments was ‘incorrect.’