PAKISTAN will request the British government to deport former prime minister Nawaz Sharif as he is an "absconder".
"The government has decided in principle to write a letter this week to the British government, seeking deportation of PML-N supreme leader Nawaz Sharif, as he is an absconder not fulfilling the terms and conditions of the bail granted to him on medical grounds," Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Information Firdous Ashiq Awan said.
She said Sharif had gone to London on November 19, 2019, for his treatment but was yet to be admitted to a hospital there, indicating that "it was a fixed match played by him, his party and a section of the media on his health", paving the way for his departure to London.
Awan claimed that Sharif and his younger brother Shahbaz had gone to London to protect the businesses of their children.
"Nawaz faked his health condition," she alleged.
However, the PML-N secretary general Ahsan Iqbal said the three-time premier will challenge the government's decision not to give him extension in his stay abroad in the court shortly.
The PML-N Punjab information secretary Azma Bokhari said that if Pakistan wrote to the British government for Sharif's deportation, the PML-N would also write to the US government seeking opening of a case against Prime Minister Imran Khan regarding his ("illegitimate") child.
Last week, the Punjab government had refused to extend Sharif's bail, declaring that it had found no "legal, moral or medical ground" necessitating an extension in his stay abroad.
The Lahore High Court had, in October last year, granted bail to Sharif on medical grounds for four weeks, allowing the Punjab government to extend it further in the light of his medical reports.
The Islamabad High Court had also granted bail to Sharif in the Al Azizia Mills corruption case, in which the former prime minister was serving a seven-year jail term, clearing his way to travel abroad for medical treatment.
Moglai Bap and Mo Chara of Kneecap perform at Glastonbury Festival at Worthy Farm in Pilton, Somerset, Britain, June 28, 2025. REUTERS/Jaimi Joy
Police may probe anti-Israel comments at Glastonbury
BRITISH police said they were considering whether to launch an investigation after performers at Glastonbury Festival made anti-Israel comments during their shows.
"We are aware of the comments made by acts on the West Holts Stage at Glastonbury Festival this afternoon," Avon and Somerset Police, in western England, said on X late on Saturday (28).
Irish hip-hop group Kneecap and punk duo Bob Vylan made anti-Israeli chants in separate shows on the West Holts stage on Saturday. One of the members of Bob Vylan chanted "Death, death, to the IDF" in a reference to the Israel Defense Forces.
"Video evidence will be assessed by officers to determine whether any offences may have been committed that would require a criminal investigation," the police statement said.
The Israeli Embassy in Britain said it was "deeply disturbed by the inflammatory and hateful rhetoric expressed on stage at the Glastonbury Festival".
Prime minister Keir Starmer said earlier this month it was "not appropriate" for Kneecap to appear at Glastonbury.
The band's frontman Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh was charged with a terrorism offence last month for allegedly displaying a flag in support of Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah at a concert in November. He has denied the charge.
A British government minister said it was appalling that the anti-Israel chants had been made at Glastonbury, and that the festival's organisers and the BBC broadcaster - which is showing the event - had questions to answer.
Health secretary Wes Streeting said he was also appalled by violence committed by Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank.
"I'd also say to the Israeli Embassy, get your own house in order in terms of the conduct of your own citizens and the settlers in the West Bank," Streeting told Sky News.
"I wish they'd take the violence of their own citizens towards Palestinians more seriously," he said.
(Reuters)