Nawaz may not return Pak before Nov 7

Islamabad, Oct 21: Former Pakistan prime minister Nawaz Sharif may delay his return to the country till November 7 under a new deal with the government brokered by two interlocutors.

Saad Hariri, son of assassinated Lebanon prime minister Rafiq Hariri, and former Saudi ambassador to the US Prince Bandar Bin Sultan have convinced Mr Sharif that he would not stage another comeback before November 17. The News quoted ''credible sources'' at the Pakistani High Commission in London as saying.

The two leaders met the PML-N leader on October q7 in Jeddah, where he was deported to from Islamabad on September 10, trying to stage a comeback.

Saad Hariri also played the key role in finalising an understanding between the Sharif family and the GHQ in 2000. He also surfaced during Mr Sharif's return on September 10.

Mr Hariri is said to be very close to President Pervez Musharraf. Prince Bandar made his very first appearance on the Nawaz exile issue. Hariri and Bandar who saw Nawaz at his residence on Tuesday last were also accompanied by the son of the latter, the sources said.

According to sources, the former prime minister was asked by the three to postpone his plan to leave Saudi Arabia for a few more weeks. They told him that his further stay in Saudi Arabia would be in the interest of his own country.

However, Mr Sharif got a promise form his guests that they would not press him again to change his plans.

UNI