Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif are also in London, along with other party and government officials.

The former prime minister said that he will return to Pakistan soon. While lauding the efforts of the Pakistan Cricket Board, Nawaz welcomed the revival of international cricket in Pakistan.

Nawaz was responding to questions posed by the media after arriving in London.

While responding to a question, he said that the stock exchange of the country took a nosedive shortly after his ouster by the Supreme Court.

The former premier said his dismissal caused instability in the country and the stock exchange plummeted by 10,000 to 12,000 points.
Nawaz Sharif addresses media after arriving in London.

“What to speak of stability and progress if the elected leader of the country is ousted on the basis of Iqama [foreign work permit] and not Panama [Papers],” said Nawaz.

Nawaz further said that if a government becomes weak, then it decreases the strength of the state as well.

Condemning the attack on The News journalist Ahmed Noorani, Nawaz urged a thorough probe into the incident.

Nawaz, who was in Saudi Arabia to perform Umrah and spend time with his mother, said that CPEC is progressing as planned.

Speaking to reporters after arriving in London, Prime Minister Abbasi said there is no rift among national institutions and he neither believed in conspiracy theories nor there was any room for those in the country.
Nawaz leaves for London to chair high-level party huddle

He said both the political and military leadership is sitting together during the recent meeting with the US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson in Islamabad and all of the country’s institutions are collectively playing their role for national development, he added.

Abbasi reiterated that there was no provision for a technocrat government in the country’s Constitution.

Last week, the accountability court hearing corruption references against the Sharif family issued bailable warrants for the former premier in the three references against him as he has lately been a no-show in the proceedings.

The references against the Sharif family pertain to the Azizia Steel Mills and Hill Metals Establishment, their London properties and over dozen offshore companies owned by the family.

The hearing was then adjourned until November 3, with the last chance for the former premier to ensure his presence in court.