Let Sharif back to defend himself: EU

Brussels: The European Union said former Pakistani prime minister Nawaz Sharif, who was arrested and deported on Monday within hours of returning from exile, should be allowed to defend himself against court charges in Pakistan.

A spokeswoman for the EU's executive Commission said it had noted an Aug. 23 ruling by Pakistan's Supreme Court to this effect. "In our view the Supreme Court's ruling is very clear and should be respected," Christiane Hohmann told a regular news briefing.

Sharif, who had vowed to end the rule of President Pervez Musharraf, was arrested then deported from the Pakistani capital Islamabad on Monday following a tense 90-minute standoff with authorities on board the aircraft he arrived on.