Will Maryam be allowed to travel abroad?

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) is hoping for relief from the judiciary to allow Maryam Nawaz, the daughter of former premier Nawaz Sharif, to travel abroad to be with her ailing farther in London. Talking to Business Recorder, PML-N central secretary-information Marriyum Aurangzeb declined to comment on reluctance of the PTI government to allow Maryam Nawaz to travel to London, saying that the matter is before the court and is sub judice.

"I am not able to comment on that as the case is before the court and it is sub judice. We are hopeful to get a decision on Maryam Nawaz's bail application in the next hearing of Lahore High Court (LHC) on February 18," she added.

However, she said that Nawaz Sharif's mother Shamim Bibi left for London on Saturday against her doctors' advice to be with her son during his cardiac diagnostic/treatment procedure. "His [Nawaz Sharif] mother is an extremely elderly woman who had been told by her doctors not to take the trip due to her medical condition, but she insisted because Nawaz Sharif asked for her," she said.

Shahbaz Sharif, the younger brother of Nawaz Sharif, is in London amidst speculation of a 'deal' which would pave the way for the Sharif family to get relief in corruption cases and to be able to travel abroad. Shahbaz Sharif, in a series of recent tweets, said that the schedule for Nawaz Sharif's medical procedure had been changed twice owing to the absence of his daughter, Maryam Nawaz.

He said the former prime minister's health is still in an unstable condition. "The procedure required for Nawaz's treatment had to be postponed twice because his daughter Maryam, who wanted to be with her father at that time, was not allowed to come from Pakistan," the PML-N president said.

"Maryam should have been with Nawaz but she was not allowed to travel abroad to meet her ailing father," he said, adding that Nawaz's current health condition was critical. Party sources said that doctors in London want Nawaz Sharif to undergo angiography at the earliest but Nawaz is adamant that he would not undergo the procedure till his daughter is by his side.