Pakistan: New Sharif rides into town

by Barry ORegan | November 26, 2007 at 05:46 am

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It seems every politician is coming out of the woodwork claiming to be Pakistans new savoir, recently Nawaz Sharif supporters were jubilant at his return, much the same welcome Benazir Bhutto was greeted with leading some to believe will a sharing of power work between them or perhaps factions from each ex prime ministers supporters create tension and infighting in which terrorists opposed to both try and walk up the middle in all the confusion and take power. Though Gen. Pervez Musharraf was far from perfect his drive to rid the country of terrorists by any means possible usually without regards to human rights was seen by western countries as a start. Human rights terrorists do not seem to abide by anyways.

LAHORE, PAKISTAN -- Exiled former prime minister Nawaz Sharif returned home to a hero's welcome yesterday and called on President Gen. Pervez Musharraf to end emergency rule before elections.

"These (emergency) conditions are not conducive to free and fair elections," Sharif said after arriving at the airport from Saudi Arabia. "I think the constitution of Pakistan should be restored, and there should be rule of law."

"I came to serve the people and save Pakistan," Sharif said.

"I am here to play my role and also make my own efforts to rid the country of dictatorship," said Sharif, who was overthrown by Musharraf in a 1999 coup and expelled him when he first tried come back to Pakistan this year.

Another recently returned prime minister, Benazir Bhutto, welcomed him home.

"If they come to us with a proposal of any electoral alliance, we will consider this positively," she said aboard a flight from Karachi to her hometown of Larkana, in southern Pakistan.

JUBILATION

The scene at Lahore airport was eerily reminiscent of the early jubilation that greeted Bhutto when she came back to her home city of Karachi in October, but the number of supporters was far lower. Bhutto's return was greeted by a massive suicide bomb which killed about 150 people in a procession through the streets.

In a reminder that Pakistan remains under emergency rule, security forces had rounded up some Sharif activists and attempted to seal off the airport.

But the supporters found their way through tight security and swarmed into the terminal waving the green flag of his party and shouting, "Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif!" and "Go, Musharraf, go!"

Thousands of frenzied supporters pushed past police barricades, carrying Sharif and his brother on their shoulders and cheering wildly.

A spokesman for Sharif said he, his brother and wife will all file papers today that would allow them to run if they choose to do so.