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Nawaz Sharif arriving today

— PHOTO: AFP

Targeting THE ARMY: Security officials watch a Defence Ministry bus which caught fire after a suicide-bomber struck in Rawalpindi on Saturday.

ISLAMABAD: In a sudden reversal of his fortunes, the former Pakistan Prime Minister, Nawaz Sharif, whose political career seemed at a dead-end only three months ago, is now poised to play an important role in Pakistan’s unfolding political crisis after the Saudi royal family’s apparent decision not to hold him back anymore, even if it meant letting down close friend President Pervez Musharraf.

His return will bring a new complexity for President Musharraf, who is preparing to be sworn in to his new presidential term next week. He has said he will hang up his army uniform and take oath as a civilian president.

Dawn News Television, quoting sources, said the swearing-in would take place on November 29. On Saturday, the Election Commission notified Gen. Musharraf’s victory in the October 6 presidential election, clearing the way for the Cabinet division of the government to start preparations for the ceremony.

Mr. Sharif’s comeback will also have an impact on the Pakistan Muslim League (Q), essentially a party of defectors from his Pakistan Muslim League after his ouster by Gen. Musharraf in the 1999 coup.

Mr. Sharif is to arrive in Lahore at 4 p.m. on Sunday from Medina on a special plane arranged by the Saudi government. His wife Kulsoom and brother Shahbaz Sharif, who flew on Saturday from London to Medina, will return with him.

According to media reports, Mr. Sharif’s return became possible through an “understanding” with the Musharraf regime.

Gen. Musharraf visited Saudi Arabia earlier this week reportedly to persuade King Abdullah not to allow Mr. Sharif to return, but failed to do so. He returned after cutting short his visit, but ISI chief Lt. Gen Nadeem Taj is reported to have stayed behind for further negotiations on Mr. Sharif’s return. There were reports that the former Prime Minister met the intelligence chief.

The PML (N) has denied Mr. Sharif met Lt. Gen Taj or any other government official.

PML (N) spokesman Ahsan Iqbal denied Mr. Sharif had entered into any agreement with the government for his return, but said that despite this, the party did not expect the government to block his arrival.

When the PML (N) leader made an earlier attempt to return on September 10, the government did not allow him to leave the Islamabad airport, and put him on a plane to Jeddah while preventing his supporters from reaching the airport with road blockades and arrests.

“This time, we are not anticipating deportation, because the Saudi king has himself said his meeting with Mr. Sharif yesterday as a farewell call,” Mr Iqbal told The Hindu.

Asked if the party feared Mr. Sharif’s arrest — he left the country after being pardoned of his convictions and jail terms in two cases — Mr. Iqbal said that no cases against the former Prime Minister or jail terms were pending.

He said the government had approached an accountability court to revive three cases against Mr. Sharif and members of his family, but the court had yet to issue any arrest warrants in those cases. The next hearing is in December.

“But we do not mind arrest or jail, we only want that Mr Sharif is allowed to return to his country, which is his fundamental right.”

Mr. Sharif’s return a day before the closure of nominations for the January 8 general elections has given rise to speculation that the former Prime Minister is all set to participate in the election, which could give Gen. Musharraf badly needed legitimacy.

Mr. Iqbal said that on participation in the elections, the PML (N) leader would go only by the decision of the All Parties Democratic Movement, a grouping of opposition parties that does not include the Pakistan People’s Party.

The APDM announced on Saturday that it had decided to put the government on a four-day notice to take the country back to the situation prevailing before November 3, including the reinstatement of the sacked judges and the restoration of the Constitution.

“If this deadline is not met, the APDM will boycott the election, and Mr. Sharif will go with the decision of the APDM,” said Mr. Iqbal. “We will also ask PPP to join in the boycott.”

Mr. Sharif and PPP leader Benazir Bhutto had already spoken three times, and this dialogue would continue after the PML (N) leader’s return on Sunday

With only 24 hours to prepare for Mr. Sharif’s arrival, the party was trying to mobilise as many people as possible to welcome him on arrival at Lahore airport, the PML(N) spokesman said.

Mr. Sharif will visit the Data saheb shrine in the old city, a must stop for every politician who visits Lahore, before proceeding to his home in the suburb of Raiwind.

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