Former prime minister of Pakistan and supremo of Pakistan Muslim League (PMLN) Nawaz Sharif has returned home today after four years.

After signing the legal documents at Islamabad Airport, PML-N leader Nawaz Sharif again boarded the plane to go to Lahore.

After witnessing a brief delay, the flight departed for Lahore. The flight was delayed at the Islamabad Airport as the PML-N Japan president was missing, reports said.

Earlier, at the State Lounge of Islamabad Airport, Nawaz Sharif signed a petition to revive appeals against conviction in the Avenfield and Al-Azizia references.

Story highlights

• Nawaz Sharif arrives at the site of rally
• PML-N Nawaz gets emotional as he welcomes his brother at the Lahore airport
• PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif flies to Minar-e-Pakisan via helicopter
• Nawaz’s plane lands at Lahore airport
• Maryam Nawaz reaches the rally site

Nawaz Sharif’s legal team had prepared a plea to revive appeals against conviction in the Avenfield and Al-Azizia references.

At the airport, he also met his long-time colleague Ishaq Dar and others.

Nawaz Sharif arrived at Dubai Airport to return home, his plane left Dubai for Islamabad at 10:42 PM, and a special plane landed at Islamabad Airport at about 1:50 PM.

Nawaz Sharif’s biometrics has been completed by the airport administration, after which the legal team met Nawaz Sharif at Islamabad Airport.

Lawyers met Nawaz Sharif at the airport guest lounge and consulted with the legal team on various issues, Nawaz Sharif signed the petitions for reinstatement of appeals in Avenfield, Al-Azizia references, and the legal team prepared the petition for reinstatement of appeals against the sentence.

Former Finance Minister Ishaq Dar has said that the leader of the PML-N will reach Pakistan directly from Islamabad, not Jati Umra.

Nawaz Sharif returned to the plane to depart for Lahore, where the air controller gave the green signal to the flight.

Later, Nawaz Sharif will reach Minar-e-Pakistan by helicopter.

In Lahore, the PML-N leadership, including Shehbaz Sharif, Maryam Nawaz Sharif, and Hamza Shehbaz, spent a busy day on Friday for the preparations ahead of Nawaz Sharif’s arrival.

The trio also paid a visit to Minar-e-Pakistan to see the arrangements.

The caravans of the party workers coming from Balochistan, Sindh, and Gilgit-Baltistan left for Lahore and those coming from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab will leave this morning.

An 80-foot wide and 40-foot high stage has been set up at the Minar-e-Pakistan in the Greater Iqbal Park in Lahore. A bulletproof cabin has also been installed on the stage for Nawaz Sharif.

Organisers have claimed that 40,000 chairs have been placed in the venue, and the number could increase by the time the rally begins.