Sharif accuses Hariri of lying

Islamabad: Exiled former prime minister Nawaz Sharif said just hours before leaving for Heathrow Airport, that he would reach home today despite a request from Saudi Arabia to abandon his planned trip.

"I will go back to Pakistan on September 10 [today] with my brother because my country needs me," he told private television news channel Geo before leaving for the airport.

Sharif acknowledged Lebanese lawmaker Sa'ad Hariri, who had visited him in jail after he was convicted on terrorism and hijacking charges, had secured his release under an understanding.

Verbal assurance

"I refused to stay away from Pakistan for such a long period [10 years]. Five days later, Sa'ad Hariri assured me that I will have to stay away from Pakistan for five years. I agreed to it after receiving a verbal assurance from Sa'ad Hariri," Sharif said.

Sharif said he had raised the issue of his return to Pakistan with Hariri after five years in exile in Saudi Arabia but he had offered him some excuses which he thought were responsible for the delay in execution of the verbal understanding and his return to Pakistan in 2005. However, Sharif claimed, all promises made were not kept and even the passports of the Sharif clan were forfeited, and they were not even able to attend the funeral of their father.

"This chain of events even perplexed the Saudi royals, and in between this ongoing turmoil, the events of 9/11 and subsequent murder of Rafik Hariri took place," the ex-premier said.

Accusation

Accusing the Lebanese lawmaker of lying at a press conference in Islamabad, Sharif regretted that Hariri forgot all the promises he made earlier and failed to mention the "five-year clause", and said that the matter has been elaborated to the Saudi king as well.

Sharif said that he had fully abided by the agreement, but was firm in his resolve to return home today. He acknowledged that government will also use all tactics today, but these would fail.

The former prime minister said he was returning to Pakistan to ensure the rule of law, freedom of press and undiluted democracy, and above all, because "it's the call of duty."

Possibilities

Sharif could be deported

Nawaz Sharif could be deported upon arrival, as his brother Shahbaz was on May 11, 2004, about 90 minutes after he flew into Lahore on a scheduled flight.

Could be arrested

Following the Supreme Court ruling that the Sharifs had the right to come back, Attorney General Malek Abdul Qayyum said if the agreement on the10-year exile was considered void, Nawaz Sharif could face the prison term he avoided by leaving in 2000.

Proceed as planned

After arriving in Islamabad, Sharif plans to travel in a procession of supporters by road to the city of Lahore, 300 km to the southeast. Lahore is Sharif's powerbase and the nerve centre of Pakistani politics.

Party faithful could be expected to mob his convoy as it passes through towns and his journey would likely take much longer than the usual four hours.

- Reuters