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The “Lion” Has Landed: Nawaz Sharif Returns to Pakistan

Nawaz Sharif arrived at Lahore’s Allama Iqbal International Airport this evening local time. Despite the arrests of 1,800 PML-N workers, thousands have gathered at the airport to greet the deposed Pakistani prime minister. Nawaz addressed the crowd, denying that he came to Pakistan on the basis of any deal. GEO reports that he announced that his party will run in the upcoming elections, while PTV quotes him as stating that the decision will be made by the All-Parties Democratic Movement (APDM) — an oppositional alliance headed by Sharif’s party. The APDM announced yesterday that it will boycott the elections if the government does not “lift the state of emergency and withdraw the Provisional Constitution Order, restore the Constitution and the pre-PCO judiciary and release all political activists, lawyers and judges.”

However, the PML-N will likely submit their nominations for elections tomorrow. After all, that is why Nawaz, Shahbaz, and Kulsoom have returned today — tomorrow is the deadline for turning in nomination papers. They can withdraw their nominations by December 15.

Should the Sharif brothers attempt to run in the elections, they will incur some major roadblocks. Both have convictions that likely make them ineligible for elections.

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Category: Nawaz Sharif, Nawaz Sharif's Second Return

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6 Responses

  1. Naveed Ahmad says:

    why da hell did you call him a lion, he is not even worth to be called a kitty

  2. Arif Rafiq says:

    I put the word “lion” in quotes — meaning they are the words of someone else (i.e. many of his supporters) and do not necessarily reflect my views.

    If I recall correctly, Nawaz decorated one of his mansions with tiger motifs. But his behavior — during the Kargil crisis, for example — suggests he is more a vacillator or pusillanimous than lion-like.

    Hope that clarifies things for you.

  3. What is it which made the SAUDI PRINCES to change their stand about Nawaz? In septemeber he was advised to come back to Saudi arabia as per his committment.In November the scene has changed for both Black goggled saudi princes and Musharaff. Is the welcome and opposition space which is being taken by Bhutto has unnerved the ruling clique and saudies.

  4. F says:

    The actions and statements of Nawaz shareef is clearly showing that he is nothing but a certified CHOTIA.

  5. [...] NYT rode its ‘journalistic’ tractor til all that was left was one pudgy, Punjabi ‘lion.’  Of course, Sharif wants to be seen that way (well, maybe not pudgy), a leader who [...]

  6. [...] NYT rode its ‘journalistic’ tractor til all that was left was one pudgy, Punjabi ‘lion.’  Of course, Sharif wants to be seen that way (well, maybe not pudgy), a leader who [...]

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Editor:

Arif Rafiq, a Washington, DC-based consultant on Middle East and South Asian political and security issues. [About]

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Arif Rafiq regularly appears on the John Batchelor Show Friday nights from 09:30-10:00pm Eastern Time. Tune your dial to 770AM in New York or 630AM in DC. The show appears on affiliates in other cities. Listen live online at WABCRadio.com.
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