The Foreign Office has verified that Pakistan's High Commissioner (HC) to the UK Dr. Muhammad Faisal met with Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif last week in London before former premier Shehbaz Sharif arrived in the capital of the UK, The News reported.
The meeting took place soon before announcements from the PML-N that the PML-N supremo was scheduled to return to Pakistan in the middle of September, which generated numerous questions about Islamabad's directions for the HC to see Nawaz immediately following the country's transition to a caretaker government.
Later, a video of HC Faisal exiting Hassan Nawaz's Central London office, the son of Nawaz Sharif, also appeared online.
"Yes, the meeting actually happened. We provide the same respect to all former prime ministers since Nawaz Sharif served as our prime minister three times," according to a source with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
According to FO sources, it was a regular courtesy visit for the former prime minister.
Another government source remarked that the situation was difficult because Nawaz had technically and legally been found guilty and was evading justice.
The official stated that seeing prominent Pakistanis is normal for Pakistan's diplomats, and Nawaz Sharif is undoubtedly one of them.
According to a Sharif family insider who spoke last week under the condition of anonymity, Nawaz will depart from London for Pakistan after a month.
Accordingly, it may be assumed that the former prime minister will visit Pakistan again around the middle of September.
"Nawaz Sharif's decision to return to Pakistan after ending nearly four years of exile is final, and everything is in order," the person who has been involved in the negotiations and preparations stated.