Sunday, November 25, 2007
Breaking News: Pakistan: Roaring Welcome For Ex-Leader
Former PM Nawaz Sharif has arrived in Pakistan after seven years in exile - and he has vowed to "rid the country of dictatorship".
He flew back to his home city of Lahore, where crowds of supporters were waiting to greet him.
Mr Sharif had been ousted by military chief General Pervez Musharraf in a bloodless coup in October 1999 and exiled to Saudi Arabia a year later.
His attempt to to return home in September failed and he was sent back to Saudi Arabia within hours of his arrival.
But this time President Musharraf, who imposed emergency rule on November 3, reluctantly agreed to allow him back.
Mr Sharif - the latest political heavyweight to join Pakistan's deepening power struggle - is due to lead his Muslim party in the country's elections on January 8.
"We want democracy and nothing else," he told the BBC. "I am here to play my role and also make my own efforts to rid the country of dictatorship."
In a reminder that Pakistan remains under emergency rule, security forces rounded up some of Mr Sharif's supporters and attempted to seal off the airport.
But they failed to prevent jubilant crowds pushing past barriers placed across approach roads.
Several hundred people swarmed into the terminal, waving the green flags of Mr Sharif's Pakistan Muslim League-N party.
They shouted slogans including "Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif" and "Go, Musharraf, go!"
Hundreds more gathered outside the airport fence and loudspeakers mounted on trucks blared out patriotic songs.
He flew back to his home city of Lahore, where crowds of supporters were waiting to greet him.
Mr Sharif had been ousted by military chief General Pervez Musharraf in a bloodless coup in October 1999 and exiled to Saudi Arabia a year later.His attempt to to return home in September failed and he was sent back to Saudi Arabia within hours of his arrival.
But this time President Musharraf, who imposed emergency rule on November 3, reluctantly agreed to allow him back.
Mr Sharif - the latest political heavyweight to join Pakistan's deepening power struggle - is due to lead his Muslim party in the country's elections on January 8.
"We want democracy and nothing else," he told the BBC. "I am here to play my role and also make my own efforts to rid the country of dictatorship."
In a reminder that Pakistan remains under emergency rule, security forces rounded up some of Mr Sharif's supporters and attempted to seal off the airport.
But they failed to prevent jubilant crowds pushing past barriers placed across approach roads.
Several hundred people swarmed into the terminal, waving the green flags of Mr Sharif's Pakistan Muslim League-N party.
They shouted slogans including "Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif" and "Go, Musharraf, go!"
Hundreds more gathered outside the airport fence and loudspeakers mounted on trucks blared out patriotic songs.
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