UK government rejects Nawaz Sharif's visa extension request

The UK government has rejected former prime minister Nawaz Sharif's request for an extension in his visa, the PML-N confirmed on Thursday.

PML-N has decided to appeal the decision.

Confirming the development, PML-N spokesperson Marriyum Aurangzeb said, "The UK Home Office has excused itself from further extending Muhammad Nawaz Sharif's visa.

"Nawaz Sharif's lawyers have filed the appeal in the British immigration tribunal," Aurangzeb added.

Nawaz Sharif moved to London in November 2019 after he was allowed to leave the country for medical treatment.

Pakistan writes letter seeking help from UK govt to extradite Nawaz Sharif

Responding to the development, Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Chaudhry Fawad Hussain said: "There is information that the UK government has denied Nawaz Sharif's request for extension in his visa. This is welcome news ... it was clear that Nawaz Sharif is not unwell and he lied to secure a UK visa, against which he was residing in the country."

"If he [Nawaz Sharif] does challenge, he has no grounds ... because he is not unwell," Fawad said.

"He is roaming around in the UK, going to restaurants in front of you; so it is apparent that he is not ill ... he will lie once again [in the appeal] to the British courts and he may get penalised by the British courts as well."

Last year, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had written a letter to the British government to extradite the former prime minister to Pakistan. The letter stated that Nawaz Sharif is a convict in corruption cases, and he should be sent back to Pakistan.

Earlier this year, the federal government decided to cancel Nawaz Sharif's passport as part of its extradition efforts. Nawaz Sharif's passport expired on February 16, 2021.

“The government will make maximum efforts to bring back absconding Nawaz Sharif to Pakistan," Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed had said.

As part of extradition efforts, Govt decides to cancel Nawaz's passport on February 16

In December last year, Pakistan had written a letter to the UK for the cancellation of Nawaz Sharif's visa, which was issued for medical treatment after taking an undertaking.