Pak Govt. asks Saudi Arabia to stall Nawaz Sharifs return

The Pakistan Government has contacted authorities in Saudi Arabia in a bid to stall former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharifs return to Pakistan on September 10.

Islamabad, Aug 31 : The Pakistan Government has contacted authorities in Saudi Arabia in a bid to stall former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's return to Pakistan on September 10.

The government is confident that the Sharif brothers would not be able to return to Pakistan if Saudi elders intervene, sources said.

An envoy of the Saudi leadership is expected to contact the Sharif brothers in a day or two to remind them of the understanding pertaining to their exile from the country till December 2010.

Visibly upset over the Sharif brothers' announcement, Musharraf is exploring a number of steps to deal with the development including diverting the Sharif brothers plane to Jeddah, boarding them on arrival here to yet another Jeddah-bound flight and declaring Islamabad airport as a 'no go area' on the D-day.

Sources said that the government would not adopt passive attitude to Sharif brothers move.

"The government would not allow the Sharif brothers to take political advantage of the situation and it will deal with them with firm hands," sources added.

The Musharraf regime is perturbed over Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) plan to disrupt the presidential election and to make the situation difficult for holding of the polls.

Saudi Ambassador to Pakistan Ali Saeed Awadh Assiri who has gone to his native town Anba near the capital has reportedly been staying in Riyadh for the last two weeks.

He is believed to be engaged in constant consultations with his government with regard to the Sharif brothers' issue, The News reported.

ANI