Sharif has been staying in London since November last year on medical grounds.

The decision was taken at a cabinet meeting where the prime minister also issued the directive to relevant authorities to pursue the matter vigorously, just a day before the Islamabad High Court (IHC) is expected to ask the government about measures it had taken to bring Nawaz Sharif back, a cabinet member told Dawn.

He said the government had already sent a request to the British government for the PML-N leader’s repatriation but it would now send a fresh application.

He said besides a normal application, a formal request for his extradition would also be made.

“Although we have no extradition treaty with the United Kingdom, wanted people can be repatriated under special arrangements as we had also handed over some people to the UK,” the cabinet member told the newspaper.

Nawaz Sharif, his daughter Maryam and son-in-law Muhammad Safdar were convicted in  Avenfield properties case in 2018.

The former Prime Miniter of the country was sentenced to seven years in the Al-Azizia Steel Mills case in December 2018.

The Pakistani leader was bailed out in both cases and also allowed to go to London for medical treatment in November last year.