Sharif leaves for London days before indictment in graft cases

Sharif left his Jati Umra residence this morning amid high security and reached the Lahore airport to catch a PIA flight for London to be with his ailing wife Kulsoom.

His younger brother and Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif saw him off.

The ruling PML-N did not confirm whether Sharif would return by October 9 to face his indictment in corruption and money laundering cases against him in an accountability court in Islamabad.

Interestingly, the return date on his ticket is January 4.

A five-member Supreme Court bench on July 28 disqualified Sharif, 67, for dishonesty and ruled that corruption cases be filed against him and his children over the Panama Papers scandal, forcing the prime minister to quit for a record third time.

Since then, the PML-N chief has been raising questions against the verdict.

When asked if Sharif will skip his indictment and more appearances till

January 4, his political secretary Senator Asif Karmani said, "Mian sahib (Sharif) has gone to London to see his ailing wife Begum Kulsoom. He will return to face the cases like he did in the past".

He said Sharif is eager to be in London to see his wife who has undergone three surgeries for throat cancer.