Nawaz Sharif was sent back to Saudi Arabia in a special plane after his six-hour stay at the Islamabad airport when he arrived here on Monday from London on a PIA flight. The PIA flight PK-786 carrying the former prime minister landed at Islamabad airport at 8:42 am.
A former Governor of Punjab, Ghulam Mustafa Khar, British Parliamentarian Lord Nazir and a heavy contingent of party workers and international media personnel accompanied him aboard the PIA flight. Some PML workers also arrived in Islamabad from London in another, Gulf Air, flight.
Immediately after landing, commandos surrounded the plane while Immigration officials entered the plane and talked with Nawaz Sharif, who refused to give his passport to them. He also declined to board any helicopter or a plane. Other passengers left the plane through backdoor.
Nawaz came out of the plane after about two hours and went to Rawal Lounge where heavy contingent of police and other law enforcement agencies were deployed. In the lounge, Nawaz Sharif held talks with government officials and representatives of Saudi government and later was formally arrested.
The matter of his return to Saudi Arabia was also discussed but Nawaz Sharif opted arrest, instead of going back into exile. Colonel Afzal, an official of National Accountability Bureau (NAB), arrested Nawaz Sharif on money-laundering and sugar mill business corruption charges. After serving him with the arrest warrant, the NAB officials told him that he would be taken into custody and lodged in Attock Fort.
Muslim League (N) workers and media persons surrounded Nawaz Sharif when the officials from law enforcement agencies served the arrest warrant. He was then taken out of the lounge through backdoor and was taken to the plane on a coach, which was cordoned off by police commandos.
According to the sources, the former prime minister was told that he could leave the plane if he was prepared for house arrest. But, after about four hours talks, he was deported to Saudi Arabia on a special plane.
Meanwhile, more than 30 people, including seven lawyers and three journalists, were injured and more than 300 political activists were detained by police as Rawalpindi turned into a battlefield on Nawaz Sharif's arrival. The small skirmishes between police and political activists continued the whole day as workers were not allowed to reach the airport.
Roads were blocked with parked trucks, tractors, barbed wire and containers to prevent people from reaching Islamabad airport, which resulted in confrontation with the workers.
Police baton-charged and fired tear gas and rubber bullets on activists of All Parties Democratic Movement (APDM), led by , MNA Muhammad Hanif Abbasi and MPAs Abrar, Ijaz, Naseem and others. People coming from different parts of Punjab and NWFP to welcome the former premier were stopped from reaching the airport as all the entry points to the twin cities were sealed.
Supporters of Nawaz Sharif pelted stones on police and, in return, police fired tear gas shells. Dozens of people including some media persons fainted due to heavy teargas shelling and baton charge by police. Some police officials also received injuries. Police damaged dozens of vehicles in sheer confusion.
Early in the morning, opposition workers along with lawyers had gathered at Kutchary Chowk where they scuffled with police. The police tried to disperse them by using teargas shells, and baton charged them. Several people, including seven lawyers, fainted. In retaliation, people hurled stones on police. Uniforms of two police personnel were also torn by the crowd. The demonstrators chanted pro-Nawaz Sharif and anti-government slogans.
At Chandni Chowk, law enforcement personnel and opposition activists fought when a group of young people attempted to cross the barricade at the turning of Rawal Road. Police also resorted to baton charge and tear gas shelling.
At Rehmatabad, a procession was heading towards airport, which was intercepted by police near the bridge who started baton charge but some die-hard supporters of Nawaz Sharif snatched the sticks from the police officials and thrashed them badly.
Some of the injured people were rushed to nearby hospitals by their companions. They were discharged after minor dressing. The otherwise busy and crowded roads including Murree Road, Liaquat Road, College Road, Saddar, Bank Road, Haider Road, Mall Road, Tench Bhatta, Commercial Market, Sadiqabad and Mareer Hassan presented a deserted look.
Major shopping plazas were also closed. People and students did not attend their offices, schools and colleges and the attendance at government offices and banks remained thin.