The exiled former prime minister of Pakistan Nawaz Sharif
arrived in the eastern Pakistani city of Lahore on Sunday, local TV
channel DAWN NEWS reported.
Boarding a special plane from Medina, a western Saudi Arabian
city, Sharif returned home with his wife Kulsoom Nawaz, younger
brother Shahbaz Sharif and other family members, said the
report.
Around 75 Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leaders and
thousands of PML-N supporters received Sharif at the airport.
Some 5,000 security personnel are deployed in Lahore as a
precautionary security measure and the law and order situation is
under control, said the report.
According to a plan unveiled earlier by the party, Sharif will
be taken to Data Sahib shrine where he will offer prayers. Then
Sharif will leave for his residence in Raiwind, a city near
Lahore.
Saudi King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz met Sharif in Riyadh in the
presence of Saudi intelligence chief Prince Miqren bin Abdul Aziz
late Friday, the Saudi Press Agency reported, without mentioning
details of the meeting.
Sources with PML-N Friday disclosed that Sharif would discuss
with Abdullah plans for his return to Pakistan in time for general
elections.
According to the time schedule unveiled by the Election
Commission of Pakistan, Nov. 26 is the last date for political
parties to file nomination papers for National Assembly and
Provincial Assemblies seats.
Local media reported that the government had no plan to obstruct
Sharif's return but banned PML-N leaders from taking part in rally
or procession on the arrival of Sharif.
The All Parties Democratic Movement (APDM), comprising around 30
opposition parties, on Saturday announced that it would boycott the
general elections unless the government restored the country to
pre-Nov. 3 situation by Wednesday.
Raja Zafarul Haq, chairman of PML-N which is part of APDM, asked
other opposition parties to endorse the APDM decision and boycott
the general elections.
However, PML-N leader Ishaq Dar has said earlier that Nawaz,
Shahbaz and Kulsoom Nawaz would file their nomination papers for
general elections on Monday.
(Xinhua News Agency November 26, 2007)
