ISLAMABAD: President of the opposition party Pakistan Muslim League (N), Shehbaz Sharif, returned to Pakistan on Sunday, after four months being in the United Kingdom, to offer assistance with efforts against the coronavirus outbreak in the country, his party announced on Saturday.
Sharif, currently the leader of the opposition in the national assembly, has served three terms as Chief Minister of Pakistan’s most populous province, Punjab. His leadership is widely considered pivotal in controlling the spread of dengue fever in the province in recent years.
His party’s spokesperson, Maryam Aurangzeb, said Sharif had decided to return in order to “play his role in saving the nation from coronavirus.”
The announcement came as Pakistan announced it would be suspending all incoming international flights to the country for the next two weeks. Only flights of national carrier PIA would be allowed to bring previously booked passengers home. Sharif is scheduled to land on Sunday morning.
“As a Pakistani, a leader of the opposition, and a political person, it is my duty to return,” Sharif said in a video message that was posted on Twitter before his departure.
Sharif had left with his brother and party supremo, Nawaz Sharif, for London in November last year, after Pakistani courts allowed the jailed former Prime Minister to travel abroad on medical bail.
He said he was scheduled to stay in London until his brother’s heart surgery, but had decided to return to Pakistan to help during the coronavirus outbreak.
Shehbaz Sharif returns to Pakistan after four months
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Shehbaz Sharif returns to Pakistan after four months
- Sharif had left Pakistan with his older brother, former PM Nawaz Sharif, for the latter’s medical treatment on bail
- He decided to return as Pakistan announced it was suspending all incoming international flights
Pakistani javelin star Arshad Nadeem bags ‘Global Breakthrough Athlete Award’ in UAE
- Arshad Nadeem made history last year after winning Pakistan’s first gold medal in javelin at the Paris Olympics 2024
- Two-day World Sports Summit is being held in Dubai with over 1,500 sports leaders, athletes, policymakers attending
SLAMABAD: Pakistan’s javelin star and Olympic gold medalist Arshad Nadeem won the Global Breakthrough Athlete award at the World Sports Summit in the UAE on Monday.
The two-day World Sports Summit is being held in Dubai from Dec. 29-30. The global event features over 1,500 sports leaders, policymakers and athletes who will partake in discussions related to the future of the industry under the theme “Uniting the World Through Sport,” the Emirates News Agency (WAM) said.
News channels aired footage of Nadeem receiving the award in Dubai. Pakistan’s Information Minister Attaullah celebrated the achievement, referring to Nadeem as the nation’s “pride.”
“An honor for Pakistan,” Tarar wrote on social media platform X. “Arshad Nadeem is our pride.”
Nadeem won Pakistan’s first gold medal in javelin in August 2024 when he won the men’s javelin competition with a record-breaking 92.97-meter throw, triggering celebrations across the country.
Nadeem has also won medals at other international competitions, such as the Commonwealth Games and the Asian Games. In November, Nadeem won the gold medal in the men’s javelin throw at the Islamic Solidarity Games 2025 in Saudi Arabia, recording a throw of 83.05 meters from six attempts in a seven-man field.
