Former interior minister and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Rana Sanaullah has issued a response to incumbent caretaker security czar Sarfraz Bugti’s comments regarding the possible arrest of PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif upon his return to Pakistan.

Nawaz Sharif, who served as prime minister until 2017 when the Supreme Court disqualified him for life for not declaring receivable salary, had been granted permission to go abroad for medical treatment in November 2019 after a court suspended his sentence in a corruption case. He has been residing in London since then and recently announced his return to Pakistan on October 21, 2023.

Caretaker Interior Minister Sarfraz Bugti stated that if Nawaz Sharif is not granted bail, authorities would arrest the former prime minister from the airport upon his arrival. Bugti referenced Nawaz’s 2018 return to Pakistan when he and his daughter Maryam Nawaz were arrested at Lahore airport.

In response to Bugti’s remarks, Rana Sanaullah criticized the interior minister for crossing his limits by making such a statement. He warned Bugti to focus on his duties and not attempt to elevate his political stature by making statements about Nawaz Sharif.

Marriyum Aurangzeb, the PML-N Information Secretary, also warned Sarfraz Bugti against making such comments, emphasizing that Nawaz Sharif’s movements upon his return are not the interior minister’s concern or decision. The people will decide Nawaz’s course of action on October 21, 2023, not the interior minister, she added.

The issue highlights the political tensions surrounding Nawaz Sharif’s impending return to Pakistan and the debate over his potential arrest.