ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has granted protective bail to Nawaz Sharif, the leader of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), in the Avenfield and Al-Azizia cases until October 24. Nawaz Sharif, who has been in self-imposed exile since 2019, left for London during his seven-year jail term on medical grounds. Currently, he is in Saudi Arabia and plans to return to Pakistan via Dubai on October 21.

Sharif sought a court order from the IHC to prevent his arrest when he approaches the court. The IHC announced its verdict today, preventing the authorities from arresting him upon his return on Saturday, October 21.

Earlier in the day, an accountability court suspended the permanent warrant issued for Nawaz Sharif in the Toshakhana case. The warrant against him in the Toshakhana reference has been suspended until October 24, with the condition that it will be reinstated if he fails to appear in court on that date.

Nawaz Sharif has previously been convicted by accountability courts in the Avenfield and Al-Azizia references. In the Avenfield case, he was sentenced to 10 years in prison with an eight-million-pound fine, and in the Al-Azizia reference, he received a seven-year sentence. Furthermore, he was disqualified from holding public office for ten years. However, in 2019, the Lahore High Court suspended his sentence in the Al-Azizia reference on medical grounds, allowing him to travel to London for medical treatment.