ISLAMABAD, NOV 02 (DNA) – Former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Thursday arrived at the Benazir Bhutto International Airport (BBIA) from London ahead of an accountability court’s hearing into graft references on Nov 3 (tomorrow).

A large number of Federal Police and Frontier Corps (FC) personnel were deployed at the airport for security concerns.

While proceeding to the VIP Rawal Lounge, the former premier held a brief meeting with the party leaders and government officials who had come to receive him.

Defence Production Minister Rana Tanveer Hussain, Aviation Adviser Mushahidullah Khan, and Railways Minister Khawaja Saad Rafique were among the party leaders who were there to receive Sharif.

Later, the former premier left for Punjab House from the airport premises in an extensive protocol of 56 vehicles.

Earlier, there were reports that the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) officials would hold a meeting with Sharif at airport to hand summon notification over  to him for the accountability proceedings tomorrow (Friday).

However, the anti-graft body will now serve the court summons to Sharif at the Punjab House.

In a letter to the airport authorities, the anti-corruption watchdog had sought access to the flight of former PM Nawaz Sharif.

Sharif has been in London due to the frail health of his wife Kulsoom Nawaz who is undergoing chemotherapy for cancer treatment. He along with his daughter Maryam Nawaz and her husband retired captain Safdar have been indicted in three corruption references.

On Tuesday, the ousted PM – in a brief media interaction – had weighed in on much-discussed ‘minus-Nawaz formula’ and asserted that the nation has to make a decision not the individuals.

Few individuals cannot decide the fate of the masses by making such decisions, Sharif remarked then.