Hariri urges Nawaz to abide by deal
OUR MONITORING DESK
Saad Hariri, son of former Lebanese prime minister Rafik Hariri, had held a meeting with Sharif brothers and advised them to abide by the deal with the government and should not return to Pakistan, reported a private TV channel on Sunday, quoting Doha Times.
According to the paper, the unnamed 'guarantor' of the exile deal has decided not to interfere any more in the internal affairs of Pakistan.
Meanwhile, a global power has been investigating whether the Sharifs’ links with Osama bin Laden were still active, this was disclosed by an Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) mediator, Mohamed Faisal, in an interview recently.The unnamed 'guarantor' of the deal between General Pervez Musharraf and Nawaz Sharif has decided not to interfere any more in the matter, he said.
Saad Hariri had held a meeting with Mian Nawaz Sharif in London last week. A copy of the agreement was also provided to former Lebanese prime minister Rafik Hariri.
Faisal, who is privy to the ongoing developments, disclosed that Hariri had a meeting with Sharifs in London a week ago and conveyed message of the guarantor to him.
Meanwhile, PML-N leader Nawaz Sharif on Sunday did not deny reports about his meeting with Saad Hariri, son of late Lebanese prime minister Rafik Hariri, and said “we have been in contact with Hariri and Saudi friends for eight years.”
Talking to a private TV channel, Nawaz maintained that aides of President Gen Pervez Musharraf had also been in contact with him for many years but, he added, he (Nawaz) did not believe in any sort of deal with the present rulers.
He further said Pakistan’s good friends should not be involved in the prevailing political matters again and again.
He said Shahbaz and he would take decision regarding their return according to the aspirations of the people of Pakistan and they had intention to go back before Ramazan.
To a question, he said Rafiq Tarar had pardoned him and it would be ridiculous if the sentence was restored. Everybody in Pakistan knew that the punishment was baseless, he added.
Meanwhile, talking to a private TV channel, PML-N leader Shahbaz Sharif confirmed that Nawaz Sharif and he had a meeting with Saad Hariri.
He said that he could not disclose details of their meeting with Saad Hariri because it was a sensitive issue. He further said that they had contacts with him for eight years.
Nawaz Sharif told Saad Hariri that Pakistan was facing serious dangers in the present scenario, he added. Supreme Court has given verdict in favour of their return to Pakistan and it is matter of the country not of one person, Shahbaz said.
Nawaz Sharif wants to play role in the politics after returning home, he added.
Reacting to the news, Federal Minister for Railways Sheikh Rashid has said that Nawaz Sharif had a meeting with Saad Hariri outside London and received advice from him to abide by the agreement.
Talking to a private TV channel, he said that Nawaz and Shahbaz Sharif had been denying in the past that they had not signed any agreement and no third person was involved in the agreement but later they confessed it.
Supreme Court has issued them NOC for their return but they are still under moral pressure whether to return or not, he said. New suggestions have been introduced and next four to five days are very crucial with regard to their return.
He further said that Sharifs had their assets in Saudi Arabia and they did not want to lose them, but they should not tell lies because it could hurt their interest. He said they should show more courage and admit openly that they can’t spend imprisonment and that’s why they had entered in a deal and went abroad.
Meanwhile, OIC observer of Pakistani origin and international mediator Mohamed Faisal has said that he played an important role in reaching an agreement between Nawaz Sharif and government.
Talking to a private TV channel, he said that Rafik Hariri facilitated agreement between the government and Nawaz Sharif on his request. He said that Shah Fahd had also guaranteed that Sharif brothers would abide by the agreement.
President Musharraf pardoned their sentence after this understanding, he said.
Faisal disclosed that Saad Hariri had held a meeting with Sharif in London a week ago and conveyed the message of the guarantor to him.
The OIC observer said a copy of the deal agreement was also handed over to the late Rafiq Hariri when the agreement had been brokered in 2000.
Asif Mahmood from London adds: Talking to The Nation, Nawaz Sharif denied any contacts with a government representative in London. "Even if someone contacts me, I will follow my principled stand," he added.
He further said according to his information a government delegation is in London to meet someone else.
According to PML-N sources, party leaders Raja Zafarul Haq, Iqbal Zafar Jhagra and Ch Nisar Ali Khan are reaching London today a final decision regarding return of Sharifs is likely to be made soon. According to sources, September 7 and 10 dates are being considered for Sharifs return.
Newsdesk adds: Nawaz Sharif has finally decided to come back to Pakistan and he wishes to return with his brother Shahbaz Sharif and the rest of his family before September 10.
He will, however, be in a position to fix the date of return after a high-level PML-N meeting in London on August 29 and subsequently the seat booking on a flight.
This was told by sources close to the Sharif family in London. They also disclosed that Nawaz Sharif was considering to land either at Lahore or Peshawar, however, his first preference would be Lahore.
In the event of landing at Peshawar Airport, Nawaz will leave for Lahore via GT Road the next day. He would receive a very warm welcome by Muslim Leaguers from all over the country