From Zahid Hussain and Jeremy Page, of The Times, in Islamabad
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Pakistani authorities are expected to deport Nawaz Sharif, the exiled former Prime Minister, back to Saudi Arabia as soon as he returns to Pakistan tomorrow in a bid to topple President Pervez Musharraf.
A senior government official told The Times that the decision had been made in consultation with Muqrin bin Abdul Aziz, the Saudi intelligence chief, who met General Musharraf in Pakistan over the weekend.
Mr Sharif was toppled by General Musharraf in a bloodless coup in 1999, given a life sentence and then sent into exile in Saudi Arabia in 2000. He moved to London last year.
He is due to fly back to Islamabad tonight despite warnings that he could be jailed again and an extraordinary public appeal from the Saudi prince for him to honour an agreement to stay away from Pakistan for 10 years.
Mr Sharif says the deal was only valid for five years and has pledged to lead a victorious procession from Islamabad to Lahore, his main support base, and to oust General Musharraf within six weeks.
He is due to board a Gulf Air flight this evening from Heathrow to Islamabad via Muscat, arriving at 11.45am local time tomorrow.
But the government official said that preparations had already been made to put him straight onto a Pakistani air force plane and to fly him back to Saudi Arabia.
"Probably he will be allowed to return to Pakistan after the parliamentary elections likely to be held early next year," said the official.
General Musharraf plans to be re-elected by the current parliament between September 15 and October 15 and to stay on as head of the army before organising parliamentary elections by mid-January.
But he faces unprecedented opposition from Islamic radicals, secular political parties, lawyers, journalists and other middle-class professionals following his failed attempt to sack the Chief Justice in March.
He has been negotiating a power-sharing deal with Benazir Bhutto, another exiled former Prime Minister, under which he could remain president and she could serve a third term as Prime Minister. Mr Sharif, however, appears determined to thwart those plans.
Deporting him may buy General Musharraf some time, analysts say, but it is likely to provoke a strong reaction from the newly emboldened Supreme Court, which ruled last month that Mr Sharif should be allowed to return to Pakistan.
It could also spark violent protests from supporters of Mr Sharif's Pakistan Muslim League (N) party, who have promised to greet him at Islamabad airport.
Police have detained more than 2,000 of them to try to prevent a large crowd from reaching the airport, according to Ahsan Iqbal, a party spokesman.
They also put all major airports on high alert today, warning of unspecified terror threats, and banned gatherings of more than five people around Islamabad's international airport.
Local papers also reported that authorities had installed mobile phone jamming devices at the airport and senior government sources said General Musharraf could declare a state of emergency to restore order if necessary.
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It's a shame for us Pakistanis that some of us are welcoming back a failed and inept prime minister and portraying him as a savior. Unfortunately, Musharraf has only himself to blame for turning Pakistan's lousy politicians into heroes. Musharraf has done it by showing weakness. He was supposed to seize power as a military dictator and push his reforms on a wild and corrupt political class. What he did is to fancy himself as a liberal democrat. The result is the mess he's in.
Ahmed Quraishi, Islamabad, Pakistan
Someone cannot be deported from his/her own country -- only from a foreign country to one's own country. Everyone has a right to enter his/her own country and live there. That is in Article 15 of the 1973 Constitution of Pakistan, as well as the 1966 International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
drsubrotoroy, Kolkata, India
I see the hand of the US in all this mess...
same thing with Ms. Bhutto in Pakistan...
Marilynne Mellander, El Sobrante, CA
What happened to democracy, let the voters decide
mo, malaga, spain
It is not the Rip Van Winlke out of his deep slumber but the money that has brought the emboldenment. Generosity of Nawaz Sharif is proverbial and management of Itezaz Ahson is adorable but the consequence might be horrible.If you they are questioned to review the constitutional paradox in not allowing Ahmedis to proclaim as Muslim negating their human rights granted under UN Declaration of Human Rights.Everybody shall play timid before clergy and hide behind their claim of recent freedom.
Shahin Saifullah Khan, Lahore, Pakistan
General Musharraf has lost his bearings! His statement that he would abide by all Supreme Court verdicts have all been throw to the winds. Like the Thane of Glamis he acts in fear of
Banquo. Will he become the next Nero playing his harp, while
the country burns or will the WhiteHouse make him '''Saddam"
of Pakistan and help in the invasion of Iran. Democracy as preached by the West is a fallacy.
Khalid Rahim, Scarborough, Ont, Canada
Democracy is obviously not suitable for some countries, why would you want back two prime ministers who fleeced the country? Pakistanis , are we stupid?
Imran Khan, Peshawar, Pakistan
Is Pakistani food much different than Indian food?
Abert, anytown, usa
Nawaz sharif should honour the deal he did involving Saudi govt and Mr Hariri. Besides, he got his chance twice as prime minister and failed terribly, what good he can bring to the country anyway.
Munawara, Lahore, Pakistan
I personally believe that Nawaz Sharif should go back to Pakistan as it would help the country alot. The reason being is that i personally think everyone in Pakistan is a bit tired fo him and want new leader which can control the situations there.
Shahzada 16, London,
I can take exception to the side bar "Man out to oust the President". Musharraf is not the President, you cannot be a President through fradulent elections and as an Army chief. Musharraf is simply a dictator.
Bilal, Timbaktu, USA
Did I hear anybody saying that Pakistan under its present military dictatorship was, in actual fact, a "democrary" and a valid partner for rhe US and NATO?
Please do think again.
Where are the socalled defendrs of the human rights in the US and UK regimes? Or do they consider it more opportune not to " upset" that ruthless military dictator Musharraf ?
The so-called "West" is entirely without any principles:corruption (BAE),mediaval Governments by self appointed rules (Saudi Arabia), blatent abuse of human rights(floggings,executions in Saudi Arabia,disregard of women's rights in many Arab countries),torture etc everything goes as long as these barbarities are committed by persons/parites/ Governments who/which are supposedly on the side of the West i.e. support its greed for other people's /countries' resources.
Piskolti, Signy, Switzerland
I wish it happens. We don't want him back. He has already done enough damage to this unfortunate country. He wants to come back again to plunder the resources, and loot the economy that Musharraf has given a bit of stability in the last few years. Sharif and Benazir both are not needed here. Why doesn't Britain keep them as a gift from Pakistan ??
Naveed Yousafzai, Peshawar, Pakistan
AN-OTHER event causing great turmoil
that's exactly what we need
*sigh*
jks, Quetta, Pakistan
Hail Sharif for standing up for himself and for the disenfranchised that includes me. The military is siphoning resources from millions of poor so that the army can have its toys. So that the army can have its golf courses and for army officers to get free land irrigated by water siphoned from the Indus, meant for poor farmers of Sindh and Baluchistan. Over 25 million people in Sindh and Baluchistan do not have clean drinking water, yet in midst of a desert where an army garrison is located you will find an absolute green golf course with surroundings like Surrey, than the poor moth eaten state in which millions donât get one meal a day. May God destroy this wretched army that murdered and raped innocent women of East Pakistan in 1970, and is doing the same to the people of Baluchistan. Army destroyed what is left of Jinnahâs moth eaten Pakistan. It's time for the West to stand up to what it preaches, support democracy instead of quisling dictators. This perfidy will never be forgiven.
Billoo Bhai, London, UK
if I am Mr Musharraf I declare state of emergency as early as possible now so that the government can hold easily of any mass protest, Mr Musharraf must do every things on his power because he don't like Pakistan to be a Iraq the people out of control.
giovannie willkom, Daly city, USA
according to my view sharif will com as soon as possible because mussarf is a man of army and his work is to controle army not country in order to minimisses crises nawaz just com
toheed, swabi, pakistan