Shehbaz 'plays down' any legal barrier to Nawaz Sharif's homecoming.

LAHORE -- Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Shehbaz Sharif on Friday played down any chances of a legal barrier to party supremo Nawaz Sharif's homecoming, as speculations regarding the former prime minister take centre stage in the country's politics.

"If Allah wills, Nawaz Sharif will return to Pakistan on October 21 by the will of Allah," Shehbaz said, stressing that the question regarding his return shouldn't be repeated.

The remark came during a press conference in Lahore, as the former prime minister - who led the country for 16 months after the ouster of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf government in April last year - said his elder brother will arrive at the Minar-e-Pakistan following his return to Pakistan.

Nawaz, the three-time prime minister, has been living in London following a self-imposed exile since November 2019 owing to health reasons. He was disqualified for life in 2017 by the Supreme Court for not declaring a receivable salary.

Meanwhile, speaking about his government's performance before the caretaker government took over, the former premier said: "We desperately tried to solve the problems in 16 months.

Shehbaz said, God forbid, what would be the situation had Pakistan actually gone bankrupt? "Petrol pumps would have been empty, medicines would have disappeared and daily necessities would not have been available."

He said millions of people would have been unemployed if the country had defaulted.

"We discussed the provision of low-cost fuel to motorcyclists with the IMF. Our hands were tied as the Washington-based lender, however, turned down our proposal," Shehbaz said.

The PML-N president also said that there's no need to panic as good times lie ahead.

Earlier this week, Shehbaz while addressing a political gathering in Lahore had said that Nawaz Sharif is...