Thousands held ahead of return

Islamabad: Pakistan authorities tightened security at Islamabad airport and detained more than 2,000 supporters of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, his party said yesterday on the eve of his planned return.

Sharif, ousted by General Pervez Musharraf in 1999, says he is determined to fly home from London on Monday to try to end President Musharraf's rule despite an appeal from Saudi Arabia for him to stay away for the sake of stability.

"I know that this is a risky course for me and there can be dangers in it," Sharif told Pakistan's Geo TV channel in an interview broadcast yesterday. "But I am doing this for Pakistan ... I will be happy that for a small price - my going to jail - Pakistan will get freedom."

Sharif, 57, says he plans to lead a motorcade from Islamabad to Lahore, recreating a procession by the country's top judge earlier this year when Musharraf tried to sack him.

Sharif's spokesman, Ahsan Iqbal, said authorities had detained more than 2,000 activists from Sharif's party in Punjab province. A provincial police official said 250 "trouble-makers" had been picked up.

Sharif meanwhile accused Lebanese lawmaker Sa'ad Hariri of lying at a press conference in Islamabad. He regretted that Hariri forgot the promises he made earlier and failed to mention the "five-year clause", and said the matter has been elaborated to the Saudi king.