Pakistan's ousted prime minister Nawaz Sharif today returned to the country from the United Kingdom to face corruption and money laundering charges in the Panama Papers scandal.

He was in London to be with his ailing wife Kulsoom who is undergoing treatment for throat cancer.

Sharif, 67, decided to return after consultations with senior party leaders including his younger brother and Punjab province Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif in London, party officials said.

The aircraft carrying him landed in Islamabad at around 7.30 am and a confident Sharif came out, waved to his supporters and left in official protocol, TV news reports showed.

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz officials said that he would stay in Punjab House in Islamabad and hold meetings with party leaders today and tomorrow.

"He (Sharif) would appear before the accountability court tomorrow (September 26) to defend himself in three corruptioncases," the officials said.

Sharif stepped down after the Supreme Court disqualified him on July 28 from continuing in his office for dishonesty and ruled that corruption cases be filed against him and his children.

The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has filed three cases of corruption and money laundering against Sharif, hissons -- Hassan and Hussain, daughter -- Maryam, son-in-law --Safdar, and Finance Minister Ishaq Dar in the Accountability Court in Islamabad and Rawalpindi recently. -- PTI