Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed has that the federal government is ready to issue travel documents to former prime minister Nawaz, who is in a self-imposed exile for over a year, if he wishes to return to Pakistan.
The minister’s statement came a day after a high-stakes meeting of the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) wherein the opposition leaders, especially the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leadership, urged Nawaz Sharif to come back to Pakistan to become part of the opposition alliance. The demand has created a rift within the opposition alliance, resulting in the postponement of the long march.
The passport of Nawaz Sharif was cancelled on February 16 after the government tried all means to bring Nawaz back, but without any success. PM Imran had announced that he would go to the UK himself to bring Nawaz back, whereas the interior minister had left the matter to Allah. But eventually, the government had decided to cancel his passport in a bid to force his hand.
Speaking about the PDM, the minister said the joint opposition alliance cannot defeat Prime Minister Imran Khan, calling him a “political heavyweight”. He said the PPP’s decision to oppose the mass resignations was a “political decision”.
The interior minister also welcomed the decision of the PDM to postpone the long march that was supposed to take place in the last week of March.
