Pakistan News And Discussion-12

[Naresh]

[center]<b><span style='font-size:14pt;line-height:100%'>Govt says Nawaz deported due to Saudi pressure</span></b> <!--emo&:flush--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/Flush.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='Flush.gif' /><!--endemo-->[/center]

<i>* Says former prime minister chose exile over arrest</i>

<b>ISLAMABAD : Nawaz Sharif was sent back into exile in Saudi Arabia because of mounting pressure on Pakistan from the Saudi government insisting that the former PM honour his agreement, according to government officials.

They also said Nawaz was given the choice upon landing at Islamabad of being put under arrest or deported, and he chose the latter option. “Nawaz Sharif has gone to Saudi Arabia according to the same agreement that took him there earlier,” Information Minister Mohammad Ali Durrani told reporters.</b>

Religious Affairs Minister Ejazul Haq also said Nawaz was sent back under pressure from Saudi Arabia.

PML President Chaudhry Shujaat also said Nawaz was given the two options, though he made conflicting statements about which choice the former prime minister made. While Nawaz was still at the Islamabad airport, Shujaat Hussain said in a statement reported on AP that Nawaz had chosen arrest over exile. However, in a later statement issued in Islamabad and reported on Geo after Nawaz was deported, Shujaat was quoted as saying that Nawaz had chosen to go into exile rather than be arrested. staff report

Cheers <!--emo&:beer--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/cheers.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='cheers.gif' /><!--endemo-->