Sharif lands today, may be deported

Pakistan sounded a high alert at airports, clamped prohibitory orders and detained hundreds of activists of PML(N), Sharif’s party, as the 57-year-old leader prepared to return home to “play his part in Pakistani politics” to challenge General Musharraf whom he called a “reckless, impulsive dictator.”

Sharif and brother Shahbaz are due to fly into Islamabad from London via Muscat at 1145 Pakistan time, his spokesman said in London.

The government has not announced any plan on how to deal with the Sharif brothers but says it will act under the law.

Amid Pakistani media reports that Sharif will be deported immediately after arrival, Saudi Arabia has offered to keep the Sharif brothers in exile again. They spent six years in the kingdom after being exiled in 2000 and then shifted to London.

Sharif dismissed the talk of deportation, telling NDTV before leaving London that Musharraf “dare” not do this since there is no justification or any reason.

Authorities in Islamabad plan to seal all main roads to Islamabad’s international airport to stop people from welcoming Sharif. PML leader Ahsan Iqbal said activists will reach the airport despite the crackdown by the government and will not allow the plane to take off in the event of Sharif’s deportation.

Media reports said that a cell in a centuries-old fort in Attock has been prepared for his possible arrival. The government has also re-opened corruption cases against Sharif and reports suggest that he may be arrested on the same cases.

The government was confident that it could defend its action before the Supreme Court which last month ruled that the return of the Sharifs should not be obstructed, officials said.

The government would defend itself saying that they were not arrested but deported as per the 2000 deal they struck with Saudi Arabia.

The plan was chalked out after Saudi prince and intelligence chief Muqrin-bin-Abdul Aziz said here yesterday that Riyadh was ready to host them again.

“Saudi Arabia would welcome the Sharifs if they are deported by the Pakistani government,” local daily ‘The News’ quoted him as saying after a meeting he had along with Lebanese leader Saad Hariri who negotiated the exile for Sharif in 2000.

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