Sharif returns to Pakistan
Monday, 26 November 2007
ISLAMABAD (Agencies) - Former Pakistan prime minister Nawaz Sharif made a successful comeback from exile on Sunday in his second attempt this year.
Ousted by President Pervez Musharraf in a bloodless military coup in 1999 and exiled to Saudi Arabia a year later, Sharif tried to return home in September, but was dispatched back to Jeddah within hours.
Musharraf reluctantly agreed to allow Sharif back this time, under pressure from Saudi King Abdullah, who was embarrassed by the kingdom's complicity in the exile of a Muslim leader.
Sharif, who has held the post of prime minister twice, landed at Lahore's Allama Iqbal International Airport from Saudi Arabia as thousands of supporters waited to welcome him. He was accompanied by his brother Shahbaz Sharif, and his wife and son.
``Sharif's return has been made possible because of Saudi intervention,'' Raja Zafarul Haq, chairman of Sharif's Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz said in an interview in Lahore today.
``The Saudi royal family was no longer willing to be part of the old exile deal.'' He said as many as 1,200 party supporters have been arrested in Pakistan recently.
Sharif (57) has called for Pakistan's opposition to unite against Musharraf, who ousted the former prime minister in a military coup in 1999. The government prevented Sharif from returning to the country in September.
The former premier, dressed in traditional Pakistani clothes, smiled and waved at his supporters as he descended the stairs toward the airport lounge with his brother. As many as 2,000 Sharif's supporters chanted slogans of ``prime minister Nawaz,'' waved welcome banners and clapped.
Supporters hoisted the Sharif brothers onto their shoulders and carried them toward their bullet-proof car. The Sharifs stood atop their car and waved at their supporters.
The All-Parties Democratic Movement, which includes Sharif's party and a six-party alliance of religious parties, yesterday gave the government four days to lift emergency rule or face a boycott of parliamentary polls.
The next meeting of the group on Nov. 29 will be chaired by Sharif and a final decision could be taken about a possible boycott, party chairman Haq said.
Former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, who returned to Pakistan last month after eight years in self-imposed exile, has welcomed Sharif's return and said a decision on boycotting elections will be made in consultation with him, Dawn newspaper reported today.
``Sharif and Bhutto have spoken on the phone several times,'' Haq said. ``When Sharif lands, we will see whether there is a possibility of a meeting between them. So far, Bhutto doesn't seem prepared to join the opposition's call for a boycott.''
Pakistan's opposition parties say the Election Commission's deadline of Nov. 26 to register for the Jan. 8 elections doesn't give their candidates enough time. The U.S. and the opposition parties say elections won't be fair because many candidates are in jail and unable to register in time.
Sharif is scheduled to travel in a caravan to Data Darbar, the tomb of an Iranian Sufi saint, before going to his residence, his spokesman Zaeem Qadri said.
Sharif had a ``farewell meeting'' late last week with Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah, said Ahsan Iqbal, a spokesman for Sharif's party. Musharraf and the Saudi monarch also met last week in Riyadh.
Ousted by President Pervez Musharraf in a bloodless military coup in 1999 and exiled to Saudi Arabia a year later, Sharif tried to return home in September, but was dispatched back to Jeddah within hours.
Musharraf reluctantly agreed to allow Sharif back this time, under pressure from Saudi King Abdullah, who was embarrassed by the kingdom's complicity in the exile of a Muslim leader.
Sharif, who has held the post of prime minister twice, landed at Lahore's Allama Iqbal International Airport from Saudi Arabia as thousands of supporters waited to welcome him. He was accompanied by his brother Shahbaz Sharif, and his wife and son.
``Sharif's return has been made possible because of Saudi intervention,'' Raja Zafarul Haq, chairman of Sharif's Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz said in an interview in Lahore today.
``The Saudi royal family was no longer willing to be part of the old exile deal.'' He said as many as 1,200 party supporters have been arrested in Pakistan recently.
Sharif (57) has called for Pakistan's opposition to unite against Musharraf, who ousted the former prime minister in a military coup in 1999. The government prevented Sharif from returning to the country in September.
The former premier, dressed in traditional Pakistani clothes, smiled and waved at his supporters as he descended the stairs toward the airport lounge with his brother. As many as 2,000 Sharif's supporters chanted slogans of ``prime minister Nawaz,'' waved welcome banners and clapped.
Supporters hoisted the Sharif brothers onto their shoulders and carried them toward their bullet-proof car. The Sharifs stood atop their car and waved at their supporters.
The All-Parties Democratic Movement, which includes Sharif's party and a six-party alliance of religious parties, yesterday gave the government four days to lift emergency rule or face a boycott of parliamentary polls.
The next meeting of the group on Nov. 29 will be chaired by Sharif and a final decision could be taken about a possible boycott, party chairman Haq said.
Former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, who returned to Pakistan last month after eight years in self-imposed exile, has welcomed Sharif's return and said a decision on boycotting elections will be made in consultation with him, Dawn newspaper reported today.
``Sharif and Bhutto have spoken on the phone several times,'' Haq said. ``When Sharif lands, we will see whether there is a possibility of a meeting between them. So far, Bhutto doesn't seem prepared to join the opposition's call for a boycott.''
Pakistan's opposition parties say the Election Commission's deadline of Nov. 26 to register for the Jan. 8 elections doesn't give their candidates enough time. The U.S. and the opposition parties say elections won't be fair because many candidates are in jail and unable to register in time.
Sharif is scheduled to travel in a caravan to Data Darbar, the tomb of an Iranian Sufi saint, before going to his residence, his spokesman Zaeem Qadri said.
Sharif had a ``farewell meeting'' late last week with Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah, said Ahsan Iqbal, a spokesman for Sharif's party. Musharraf and the Saudi monarch also met last week in Riyadh.