Sharif returns to rapturous welcome
Former premier Nawaz Sharif arrived here on Sunday to a rapturous welcome by supporters after a seven-year exile in Saudi Arabia.
By PTI |
LAHORE: Former premier Nawaz Sharif arrived here on Sunday to a rapturous welcome by supporters after a seven-year exile in Saudi Arabia, demanding that military ruler Pervez Musharraf, who ousted him in 1999, rollback emergency and provide "a level playing field" in January elections.
Wearing his trademark attire, the traditional white salwar suit and a black waistcoat, Sharif, 57, arrived in a special aircraft provided by the Saudi royal family at 6.15 PM (6.45 PM IST) amid tight security.
Thousands of Pakistan Muslim League (N) workers, chanting "Long live Sharif!" and "Go Musharraf go", massed outside the Allama Iqbal airport to greet Sharif despite orders issued by the authorities to prevent gatherings of five or more people.
"I thank God that I have arrived in Pakistan," the two-time prime minister told party leaders who greeted him on his second homecoming in three months which was distinctly different from his return in September, when he was arrested and bundled off to Saudi Arabia by Musharraf within four hours of landing in Islamabad.
This time, however, Musharraf had approved of his return following intervention by Saudi Arabia, where Sharif has been living in exile since being ousted, and breakdown of power-sharing talks between the General and another former premier Benazir Bhutto.
Declaring that he did not believe in politics of "vengeance", Sharif said "we will fully participate in the national politics", indicating that his party will contest the general elections for which the filing of nominations will end tomorrow.
Wearing his trademark attire, the traditional white salwar suit and a black waistcoat, Sharif, 57, arrived in a special aircraft provided by the Saudi royal family at 6.15 PM (6.45 PM IST) amid tight security.
Thousands of Pakistan Muslim League (N) workers, chanting "Long live Sharif!" and "Go Musharraf go", massed outside the Allama Iqbal airport to greet Sharif despite orders issued by the authorities to prevent gatherings of five or more people.
"I thank God that I have arrived in Pakistan," the two-time prime minister told party leaders who greeted him on his second homecoming in three months which was distinctly different from his return in September, when he was arrested and bundled off to Saudi Arabia by Musharraf within four hours of landing in Islamabad.
This time, however, Musharraf had approved of his return following intervention by Saudi Arabia, where Sharif has been living in exile since being ousted, and breakdown of power-sharing talks between the General and another former premier Benazir Bhutto.
Declaring that he did not believe in politics of "vengeance", Sharif said "we will fully participate in the national politics", indicating that his party will contest the general elections for which the filing of nominations will end tomorrow.
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