Nawaz Sharif’s Plane Takes Off: Saudi King Gifts Him Bullet Proof Cars

Nawaz Sharif, the exiled former prime minister of Pakistan, has boarded the plane in Saudi Arabia and should reach his country at 5.25 pm (about 1200 GMT), his nephew told news agencies. Meanwhile Saudi King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz has gifted to Sharif two bulletproof Mercedes cars and also lent a helicopter for use during the elections from his personal fleet.

Well if George Bush can gift so much to his protege General Musharraf for years, why not the Saudi King who hosted Sharif in Saudi Arabia after Musharraf grabbed power from Sharif and threw him out of the country? Pakistani leaders, both military dictators and civilians, just can’t resist the temptations of gifts…while the country can go to the dogs!!!

A news report says that King Abdullah during his farewell meeting with Sharif said: “As he (Nawaz Sharif) is dear to me, so I was concerned about his security and well-being,” sources said. Sources further disclosed that Nawaz Sharif had accepted the offer and later the car was airlifted here in Lahore, his hometown, on Friday where it was handed over to his nephew Hamza Shahbaz Sharif.

“It is pertinent to mention that following suicide attack on the PPP rally in Karachi on October 18 in which more than 140 people were killed, the US Embassy had provided Benazir Bhutto with a bulletproof car equipped with latest explosive- device jamming system. The car would remain in her use throughout the election campaign.”

Meanwhile Reuters adds: “Pakistan police detained thousands of supporters of Nawaz Sharif to stop them greeting the former prime minister on his return from exile in Saudi Arabia on Sunday, according to party loyalists. U.S. ally President Pervez Musharraf imposed emergency rule on Nov. 3 to safeguard his own presidency, but under pressure from Saudi King Abdullah reluctantly acquiesced to the return of Sharif, the leader he deposed in a bloodless coup eight years ago.”

Pakistan’s Dawn has more…

While The Daily Times says: “Former premier Nawaz Sharif has reached an understanding with the government, whereby he and possibly Shahbaz Sharif may not destabilise the Musharraf regime or boycott the elections, according to sources in government. Also, while Sharif may not personally contest the upcoming general elections, Kulsoom Nawaz and Hamza Shahbaz would be allowed to contest the elections from Lahore, sources told Daily Times on Saturday.”
The Times of India reports: “Despite a call by an opposition group for boycotting the upcoming general elections, former Pakistan prime ministers Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif will file their nominations on Monday, the last day to submit the papers for their candidature. Pakistan People’s Party chairperson Bhutto will file her nomination papers from two parliamentary constituencies in Larkana, a traditional stronghold of her family in Punjab province. Nawaz Sharif, the head of the PML-N party, will file nominations with his wife Kulsoom and his brother Shahbaz Sharif in Lahore.”