On Sunday former Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif
returned from exile in Saudi Arabia
to his home city of Lahore.
He declared: "We want democracy and nothing else. I am
here to play my role and also make my own efforts to rid the country of
dictatorship,” Reuters reports.
President General Pervez Musharraf reluctantly agreed to
allow Sharif back in the country, under the pressure from Saudi's King Abdullah.
He ousted Sharif in 1999 in a bloodless military coup.
Sharif is decided to lead his party in the general election
due on January 8.
Diplomats think it’s hard to imagine that Muharraf will
allow Sharif, his old enemy, become prime minister for the third time.
Khalid Maqbool, governor of central Punjab
province, said that Sharif’s return to Lahore
is a first step toward national reconciliation.
"We think this is a very positive development,” he said
minutes after Sharof’s plane landed.
Sharif arrived on a jet provided by the Saudi monarch along
with his wife, Kulsoom, and Shahbaz Sharif, his politician brother who was also
exiled.
Security forces tried to seal off the airport and rounded up
some Sharif supporters.
Still, 1,000 supporters managed to find a way through the
security cordon and welcomed Sharif home.
Police officers with batons, rifles and riot shields tried
to drive them back from the arrivals area.
Outside the airport perimeter, hundreds more gathered chanting
patriotic songs.
Sharif said: “We want all steps taken on Nov. 3 to be
withdrawn.”
Sharif plans to boycott the parliamentary election along
with another former Prime Minister, Benazir Bhutto. She was also allowed back
in the country last month by Musharraf.
Sharif’s return was welcomed by Bhutto. Still, she didn’t
talk about the boycott when she filled her nomination papers at her
constituency in southern Sindh province.
She said: "God willing, an election will be held and
People's Party and the people will win.”
Musharraf hopes that Sharif’s party will take part in the
elections in order to make the vote credible.
