Jubilant scenes in Lahore

Lahore: Supporters of Nawaz Sharif partied through the streets of Lahore as they prepared a jubilant welcome home yesterday for the former Pakistani premier returning from exile.

Amid tight security, car horns blared, music boomed from loudspeakers and flags and colourful banners festooned the city - Sharif's political bastion in the east of the emergency-ruled country - in readiness for his return.

Late into the night diehard supporters danced and enjoyed fireworks in the old part of Lahore.

Security was stepped up, with around 1,000 police deployed at Lahore airport and barbed wire barricades and checkposts restricting access on key roads.

Javed Hashmi, a senior Sharif party leader, said police had picked up and arrested some activists but predicted a huge welcome anyway.

A police official admitted to some arrests but said they were of "potential trouble-makers" to prevent any "untoward situation" arising.

Last month another former prime minister, Benazir Bhutto, returned after eight years of self-exile, but her homecoming parade was attacked by bombers who killed 139 people and wounded more than 300.

Sharif's motorcade was to travel through the city's congested heart before stopping for a homage ceremony at a shrine to the city's guardian Sufi saint Hazrat Data Ganj Bakhsh.

More than 5,000 policemen have been deployed on the route from the airport to the shrine, city police chief Malek Iqbal said.

Crowds began to gather along the route. Loudspeakers fitted on cars boomed out music and youths waved victory signs as they blared horns.

"It's like an Eid festival for us. We are very happy, we are overjoyed our leader is coming home. He is our prime minister," said one supporter, Khadim Hussain.

Another, Yasin Butt, said: "The lion is returning and when the lion roars, dictators and political turncoats disappear."

Late on Saturday, youths performed the traditional Punjabi Bhangra folk dance to drum beats, chanting slogans of welcome. Party workers handed out sweets in the district, festooned with portraits of Sharif and green party flags. The 40-kilometre road leading from the city centre to the Sharif family's residence was also decorated with welcome arches and banners.