ISLAMABAD: British government has reportedly expressed readiness to discuss “extradition not deportation” of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif with the government of Pakistan.

British Home Secretary Priti Patel, according to unconfirmed reports, has responded to Prime Minister’s Adviser on Accountability Shahzad Akbar’s letter of October 5, 2020 for Nawaz Sharif’s deportation to Pakistan.

Business Recorder made several attempts to get a confirmation from Shahzad Akbar, but he did not respond despite repeated telephone calls and text messages. A spokesperson of the Ministry of Interior expressed his inability to confirm a new official communication from the British government.

Talking to Business Recorder, former prosecutor National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Raja Amir Abbas said that in the absence of an extradition treaty between the two countries, Nawaz Sharif’s extradition is not possible.

“Currently, we don’t have an extradition treaty with the UK. The British government wants Pakistan to abolish the capital punishment before signing an extraction treaty. But the problem is that government of Pakistan cannot repeal capital punishment,” he maintained. However, he added that it was possible in “case-to-case” basis.

“Nawaz Sharif can be deported and not extradited under United Nations Convention Against Corruption and Undeclared Wealth Order,” he added.

Pakistani government has been requesting the British government to deport the former premier and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz supremo Nawaz Sharif who is in London since November 2019 on medical grounds.

In a recent news conference, Shahzad Akbar said that Pakistan has written a letter to UK to cancel the visa of Nawaz Sharif which was issued for medical treatment for a specific time period as per an undertaking. “Negotiations are continuing with the UK for the deportation of Nawaz Sharif,” he said.

On November 14, 2019, the government gave a “one-time” permission to Nawaz Sharif to travel abroad for his medical treatment for a period of four weeks.

However, Nawaz Sharif has yet to return and is addressing rallies under the auspices of Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) and chairing his party’s meetings via video link.

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has declared the former premier an absconder for not appearing before the court.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2020