Nawaz takes off sans Shahbaz

Islamabad: The return of Sharif brothers to Pakistan after eight years of exile took a dramatic turn on Sunday at the Heathrow Airport Terminal 3, when Nawaz Sharif told reporters that Shahbaz Sharif was not accompanying him.

Everyone was taken by surprise at this announcement and Shahbaz Sharif told the media that his elder brother took the decision and he can never imagine disobeying him.

Sharif said that he deferred Shahbaz's return because of political strategy and that he will remain in UK for some days to watch the situation and handle it as required by the party.

The former prime minister later changed his statement while talking to private television new channel Geo and said that it was the decision of the party to keep Shahbaz in London.

"We are not afraid of cases and arrest warrants against us and am ready to face all the false cases but the decision was taken on the advice of party members," Sharif insisted.

A PML-N local leader told the Gulf News late night that this
decision will hurt the sentiments of workers who had been ready for any sort of sacrifice but are now demoralised.