LAHORE (National Times) – Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader and former Punjab chief minister Hamza Shahbaz had decided to return to Pakistan, Dunya News reported on Sunday.

The PML-N stalwart would reach back Pakistan on Jan 5 from the US in line with the order from his father, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, a spokesperson of the party said.

Hamza Shahbaz would preside over a meeting of the PML-N and coalition partners’ parliamentary parties, he said.
The former chief minster is returning to the country at a time when political crisis is brewing in Punjab as the PTI-backed Punjab CM Parvez Elahi aimed at dissolving the Punjab Assembly after securing a vote of confidence from the assembly.

Earlier this week, Punjab Governor Balighur Rehman denotified Mr Elahi in a bid to prevent the dissolution of the assembly. However, his move was suspended by the Lahore High Court (LHC) on Friday after it was assured by the CM that he would not disband the assembly until obtaining a trust vote.

On Dec 13, Hamza Shahbaz went abroad and it was told to an accountability court that he could not attend the hearing in a money laundering and asset beyond means case as he was in London for the treatment of his daughter, who is a cardiac patient.