Nawaz's return to Pak still uncertain

Islamabad, Oct 29: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) chief Nawaz Sharif"s homecoming is still uncertain, political and diplomatic sources have claimed. Sharif, who was in exile for over eight years, was deported to Jeddah immediately after he reached Islamabad on September 10. "The eagerness of Sharif, his party leaders and senior family members for his homecoming is understandable, but it can't take place unless all the parties involved in his deportation from Pakistan on Sept 10 work out at an agreement," an informed source told to the sources.

A source said that the parties involved in Sharif"s deportation have not reached to any conclusion on this issue.

"I don't believe that these parties have reached a firm and final understanding, providing for Nawaz's return to Pakistan next month," one source said.

"For the moment what I see happening is that Nawaz will have no restrictions to fly back home after the general elections next year," he said.

Other sources underline the importance of the contempt of court petition that has been taken up by the Supreme Court for deporting Sharif in contravention of its August ruling that Sharif brothers have the fundamental right to enter and remain in Pakistan.

According to several lawyers, the apex court order was flouted. But it will all depend on the seven judges' panel headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry how they see it, the daily reported.

On the condition of anonymity many Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leaders also admit that they are not confident about Sharif"s return next month.

Sources pointed out that the US may have a change of mind about keeping the former Prime Minister out of the country to give a free hand to Benazir to clinch power.

They also said President General Pervez Musharraf very well know that if PML-N chief is permitted to return at this juncture, the king's party would be pushed to the sidelines.

ANI
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