On November 24, 2020, former Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif returned to Pakistan after nearly four years in self-exile. Sharif, 68, was accompanied by his daughter Maryam Nawaz and nearly 200 of his supporters. He arrived in Pakistan on an Emirates flight from London and was met by a large crowd of his supporters at the Allam Iqbal International Airport in Lahore.
Sharif was sentenced to seven years in prison by an anti-corruption court in 2018 for failing to disclose his assets and as part of the government’s crackdown on corruption in the country. He was released from prison in March 2019 after being granted bail on medical grounds.
He has vowed to lead a peaceful protest against the government of Prime Minister Imran Khan and his political opponents. Sharif has also called for fresh elections in the country, which have been criticized by the government as illegal and unacceptable.
It remains to be seen whether Sharif’s return will lead to a shift in the power dynamics of Pakistani politics, or whether it will become a flashpoint for escalating political tensions.
