Maximum nepotism? Shehbaz asks Nawaz Sharif to come back and take office as Pakistan’s prime minister once again

On Monday, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Shehbaz Sharif requested his older brother and former prime minister Nawaz Sharif to return and take charge of the party’s election campaign.

Shehbaz publically asked his older brother to return and also take office as prime minister for a fourth time while addressing the central general council meeting of the party, according to Pakistan’s Geo News.

He informed the crowd that he was awaiting the return of his older brother to Pakistan so that he could resume his duties as PML-(N) president.

Due Pakistani health concerns, Nawaz Sharif has been living in self-imposed exile in London since November 2019. He was found guilty of failing to disclose funds from his son Hussain Nawaz’s Dubai-based company during an investigation into the Panama Papers, which the Supreme Court of Pakistan ordered. He was disqualified by the Pakistan Supreme Court and prohibited from holding any public office in 2017, and he was again prohibited from holding public office for life in 2018.

After then, Nawaz Sharif turned over control of the party to his brother Shehbaz. Shehbaz Sharif praised Maryam Nawaz, the PML-(N) leader during Nawaz Sharif’s absence, saying, “You will see that the map of politics will change when Nawaz Sharif returns to Pakistan,” according to Geo News.

The Supreme Court Review of Judgements and Orders Act 2023, which may allow Nawaz Sharif to utilize his right to appeal against their lifelong disqualifications within 60 days, was signed by Pakistan President Arif Alvi a few weeks before to Shehbaz’s remarks.

According to Lahore University of Management Sciences, this permits a person to appeal against a court decision in cases under Article 184(3), which states that for the Court to have original jurisdiction over a matter, it must first be of public importance and the matter must involve a violation of fundamental rights guaranteed by the first chapter of the second part of the Pakistani Constitution.

According to Pakistani news reports, the new rule applies to earlier judgments and permits an appeal against a court’s judgment in instances covered by Article 184(3).

Imran Khan, the former prime minister, is sure to be incensed by the statement since he believes Nawaz Sharif is a puppeteer who controls the government from London.