Pakistan: Ex-LoP Raja Riaz meets Nawaz Sharif in London, joins Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz

London [UK], September 16 (ANI): Former Pakistan leader of the opposition Raja Riaz joined Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) ahead of the PML-N supremo's return to Pakistan from London, ARY News reported on Saturday.
The Pakistan-based media outlet reported that Raja Riaz joined the PML-N after meeting the former Pakistan prime minister Shehbaz Sharif and his brother, who is also party supremo Nawaz Sharif in London.
Talking to media after the meeting former leader of the opposition Raja Riaz thanked Shehbaz Sharif saying that the entire Pakistan will welcome Nawaz Sharif on his return.
Former prime minister Shehbaz Sharif welcomed Raja Riaz to PML-N and said that his inclusion would further strengthen the party’s position.
Shehbaz Sharif also spoke about the Pakistan Supreme Court's recent verdict on NAB amendments and said the decision is disappointing and alleged that the laws are changed to facilitate the PTI chairman’s disciples.
He said that the PM:-N supremo will return on October 12 as planned and the recent NAB amendment will not affect his return.
About 2000 graft cases are expected to be restored after the Pakistan Supreme Court verdict in the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) law amendments case, Geo News reported on Saturday.
The Pakistani media outlet reported that from the 2000 cases restored, 755 were returned at the inquiry stage and 292 at the investigation stage, according to sources, which added that around 510 cases were of less than PKR 500 million and 168 cases pertained to assets beyond known source of income.
Similarly, 213 cases stand restored as per Section 9A, while 89 cases are related to fraud.
Pakistan’s Apex Court has approved the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leader Imran Khan’s petition challenging amendments made to the country’s accountability laws during the tenure of the previous Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM)- led government, Geo News reported on Friday.
These cases, which were closed down following the amendments, will now be restored as the court declared the amendments void.
The three-member bench, headed by CJP Umar Ata Bandial, and comprising Justice Mansoor Ali Shah and Justice Ijazul Ahsan, held more than 50 hearings on PTI chief Khan's petition against the amendments and reserved the judgment on the hearing on September 5.
The Pakistan-based news outlet reported that the Supreme Court in its verdict restored graft cases against public office holders that were closed down following the amendments.
The apex court ordered restoring all graft cases worth less than Rs500 million that were closed down against the political leaders belonging to different political parties and public office holders and declared the amendments void.
These include the Toshakhana reference against Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Supremo Nawaz Sharif, Pakistan Peoples Party Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari and former prime minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, along with the LNG reference against former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and the rental power reference against former prime minister Raja Pervez Ashraf, Geo News reported.
Additionally, the court directed the NAB to return all records related to cases to relevant courts within seven days. (ANI)