Sharif's party urges swift return
Tuesday, 28 August 2007
Farhan Bokhari, FT Syndication Service
ISLAMABAD: Nawaz Sharif, Pakistan's former prime minister, has been urged by his party to return from exile within three weeks amid growing turmoil surrounding General Pervez Musharraf.
Mr Sharif's political prospects in Pakistan have been boosted by last week's Supreme Court ruling that he has the right to return home, ending seven years in exile.
Mr Sharif's party, the Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz), wants him to return ahead of Ramadan, the Muslim fasting month that begins mid-September.
Gen Musharraf, Pakistan's president, is expected to seek re-election in indirect elections through the national and provincial parliaments in the second half of September.
"We have advised Mr Sharif to return soon as his presence will be essential for us at this time," said Ahsan Iqbal, a senior leader of the PML-N. The party's central working committee of top leaders passed on Saturday a formal resolution informing Mr Sharif of their request. The leaders will travel to London this week for further talks with him.
Senior Pakistani government officials warned that Mr Sharif risks upsetting Saudi Arabia by ending an agreement he struck with the royal family, which oversaw his exile to Jeddah in 2000. Despite some reluctance to become involved, Saudi Arabia gave him refuge in the face of a 14-year prison term in Pakistan, and his return would breach that deal.
"We believe the Saudis are very unhappy with Nawaz Sharif," said a senior government official.
However, a senior PML-N leader who attended Saturday's meeting said Mr Sharif's plans to return were intact "and there are no pressures from within or outside Pakistan".
Opposition politicians have rallied against Gen Musharraf since his suspension in March of Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhary, chief justice of the Supreme Court, on vague charges of misconduct. Mr Chaudhary last month was reinstated by the Supreme Court in a heavy blow to Gen Musharraf, who also faces growing opposition from Islamic groups since he ordered the storming of the Red Mosque in Islamabad last month.
"It seems Nawaz Sharif is even willing to defy his Saudi friends given the opportunity he sees in Pakistan," said one western diplomat.
Separately, Pakistan on Saturday tested a new nuclear-capable Raad missile that analysts said had a range of 350km and was capable of being carried by an aircraft.
ISLAMABAD: Nawaz Sharif, Pakistan's former prime minister, has been urged by his party to return from exile within three weeks amid growing turmoil surrounding General Pervez Musharraf.
Mr Sharif's political prospects in Pakistan have been boosted by last week's Supreme Court ruling that he has the right to return home, ending seven years in exile.
Mr Sharif's party, the Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz), wants him to return ahead of Ramadan, the Muslim fasting month that begins mid-September.
Gen Musharraf, Pakistan's president, is expected to seek re-election in indirect elections through the national and provincial parliaments in the second half of September.
"We have advised Mr Sharif to return soon as his presence will be essential for us at this time," said Ahsan Iqbal, a senior leader of the PML-N. The party's central working committee of top leaders passed on Saturday a formal resolution informing Mr Sharif of their request. The leaders will travel to London this week for further talks with him.
Senior Pakistani government officials warned that Mr Sharif risks upsetting Saudi Arabia by ending an agreement he struck with the royal family, which oversaw his exile to Jeddah in 2000. Despite some reluctance to become involved, Saudi Arabia gave him refuge in the face of a 14-year prison term in Pakistan, and his return would breach that deal.
"We believe the Saudis are very unhappy with Nawaz Sharif," said a senior government official.
However, a senior PML-N leader who attended Saturday's meeting said Mr Sharif's plans to return were intact "and there are no pressures from within or outside Pakistan".
Opposition politicians have rallied against Gen Musharraf since his suspension in March of Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhary, chief justice of the Supreme Court, on vague charges of misconduct. Mr Chaudhary last month was reinstated by the Supreme Court in a heavy blow to Gen Musharraf, who also faces growing opposition from Islamic groups since he ordered the storming of the Red Mosque in Islamabad last month.
"It seems Nawaz Sharif is even willing to defy his Saudi friends given the opportunity he sees in Pakistan," said one western diplomat.
Separately, Pakistan on Saturday tested a new nuclear-capable Raad missile that analysts said had a range of 350km and was capable of being carried by an aircraft.