Former Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was deported to Saudi Arabia on Monday, hours after his dramatic return to the country from a seven-year exile with the hope of posing a political challenge to President Pervez Musharraf.

After over five hours of high drama, Sharif, who arrived here from London this morning to end his exile, has been deported to Jeddah once again where he spent six years from 2000, officials said.

On his arrival, a team of Saudi and Pakistan officials held prolonged negotiations with him, asking him to honour an agreement he signed with Saudi government to stay out of Pakistan for 10 years from 2000 following which he and his family were sent to Jeddah.

Sharif, 57, was arrested on corruption charges after being kept at the aircraft for nearly 90 minutes when only passengers were allowed to disembark.

He was soon whisked away to an undisclosed location in a helicopter and it was soon officially confirmed that he had been deported to Jeddah by a special plane.

Sharif Arrested

Former Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was arrested and taken into detention on Monday about three hours after arriving home from exile vowing to challenge President Pervez Musharraf.

Police took Sharif from an airport lounge and onto a bus, a Reuters reporter in the lounge said. A government official said he was being arrested on money-laundering and corruption charges.

Sharif’s British lawyer, Amjad Malik, said Sharif was taken into detention on a helicopter.
“People in Pakistan should be calm and composed and understand what has happened to their former prime minister,” Malik said.

“Let’s move to court, let’s have faith in justice.”
Sharif’s return from seven years in exile, most recently in London, was always going to spark a confrontation with General Musharraf, the army chief who ousted Sharif in 1999 and cast him into exile the following year.

Shortly before his arrest, Sharif told Reuters he was happy to be home: “It’s a great feeling. Up to here it’s fine but beyond, through there, I don’t know,” he said in the airport lounge, pointing to the exit.

He only left his aircraft after a tense 90-minute standoff with authorities. Surrounded by supporters, he was driven to a terminal building and entered the VIP lounge.
Security forces sealed off Islamabad airport to stop Sharif’s supporters approaching. Authorities also blocked the main road to the northwestern city of Peshawar.