Nawaz Sharif - Here Now, Gone Now

Nawaz Sharif's "noble mission" to restore democracy in Pakistan came to a chaotic end at Islamabad airport yesterday when the former prime minister was summarily deported only four hours after returning from exile.

Mr Sharif's homecoming had been intended to capitalise on the political crisis surrounding the man who overthrew him eight years ago - President Pervez Musharraf.

Mr Sharif, who has been living in exile in Saudi Arabia, flew from London Heathrow on a Pakistan International Airways flight accompanied by journalists. He bade a tearful farewell to his brother, Shahbaz, who was charged last week in connection with the murder of several police officers and announced that he would not be taking the flight.

Mr Sharif, wearing an expression of weary resignation, said that he was not concerned about "any reception, only for the noble mission of restoring democracy". Once airborne, he scolded Benazir Bhutto, the former prime minister, for holding talks on a power-sharing deal with Gen Musharraf and failing to stand firm against the military regime. But he appeared resigned to Gen Musharraf's possible response to his return.

As the aircraft landed in Islamabad, Mr Sharif's supporters broke into chants of "No Musharraf! Go Musharraf!" More than 100 policemen waited on the airport apron. A customs official appeared with a rubber stamp in a plastic bag, apparently looking for Mr Sharif's passport. He was a followed by a police inspector.

The Labour peer, Lord Ahmed of Rotherham, acted as a negotiator for Mr Sharif and persuaded the police to move back from the aircraft. "I can see that there are plain-clothes intelligence people. So we asked for the bus to come as close as possible so that they could not snatch him," said Lord Ahmed. "Do they think we are stupid? They are going to try something." Security forces had sealed off the airport and blocked mobile phone coverage to prevent Mr Sharif's supporters from gathering to greet him. The former prime minister and his entourage negotiated their way into the VIP lounge.

When it seemed that Mr Sharif could be stalled for hours, some 40 policemen forced their way into the lounge and wrestled with Mr Sharif's four-strong private security detail. "We have issued an arrest warrant on charges of money laundering," announced a plain-clothed official.

Journalists were told that Mr Sharif had been flown by helicopter to jail. In fact, he was spirited out of the country and his journey ended where it began - in Jeddah, his former place of exile.

The regime's action breaches a supreme court ruling which gave Mr Sharif an "absolute right" to return home. His allies will bring a contempt of court case against the government. Demonstrations took place in Pakistan's major cities, with Mr Sharif's supporters clashing with riot police.

article and image source: www.telegraph.co.uk