16 May 2004	Sunday	25 Rabi-ul-Awwal 1425

ISLAMABAD, May 15: The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has convened a meeting of its Central Working Committee (CWC) here on Wednesday to finalize a plan to lodge its protest against the forced deportation of party president Shahbaz Sharif to Jeddah , acting parliamentary leader of the party Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan told Dawn here on Saturday.

The PML-N leader said a meeting of the Alliance for the Restoration of Democracy (ARD) would also be convened in the next few days to discuss a joint strategy and to review the possibility of convening the National Assembly session.

Earlier, speaking at a news conference in the evening, Chaudhry Nisar denied the reports that Shahbaz Sharif was medically examined upon his arrival at the Lahore Airport on May 11.

"Neither Shahbaz Sharif asked for a doctor nor the government provided him any treatment", the PML-N leader said, adding that it was all government's propaganda.

Mr Khan said police had duped Mr Sharif into boarding a PIA plane that took him to Saudi Arabia for exile by telling him that he was being flown to Islamabad under arrest. He said Mr Sharif had told him there were even some fake passengers in the aircraft when he boarded it and was taken to the business class.

He said Mr Sharif came to know about the "government's trick' after about 45 minutes flight when he inquired that why the plane had not landed at Islamabad airport yet.

He said the officials of police and Elite force also misbehaved with Shahbaz Sharif at the Lahore Airport and he was physically searched by the officials forcibly.

He denied that the Saudi government had seized the passports of Sharif family members. He said the passport of Nawaz Sharif was expired one year ago and he had also asked the Pakistani mission to issue him a new passport. He said the passport of Shahbaz Sharif was confiscated by the police in Lahore and not by the Saudi government.

In response to a question, Chaudhry Nisar said the PML-N considered the Pakistani government responsible for the incident.

He said it would be wrong to blame Saudi Arabia as its ambassador had already stated that the Shahbaz's return was an internal issue.

Moreover, he said had there any agreement, the Saudi government had not even allowed Shahbaz Sharif to travel to Pakistan.

In reply to another question, he said Shahbaz Sharif had the complete support of his elder brother Nawaz Sharif in his plan to return to the country. "Had there no consent of Nawaz Sharif, I would have not gone to Lahore to welcome Shahbaz Sharif," Mr Khan said.

He said the party had decided to take the matter to the Supreme Court and the ball was now in the court of the SC. He said Mr Sharif had come to Pakistan after the SC verdict.

Mr Nisar said he had the complete faith that the opposition parties would succeed in their struggle for the restoration of democracy.

He criticized the government for arresting and misbehaving with "thousands" of the party leaders and activists.

He said he was kept in a small cell with about 40 other persons having no space even to offer prayers.

He lauded the role of media and said some of the journalists had to suffer due to presenting truth before the nation. He said the government was even afraid of Mr Sharif's interview. He said that he had reports that the television channel people received threatening calls saying their family members would not be safe in Karachi in the hands of MQM men.

He thanked the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) for joining the PML-N workers in their rallies. He said several PPP leaders were arrested along with the PML-N men. He particularly thanked Benazir Bhutto and Asif Zardari for directing the party leaders and activists to support the PML-N.

He said by coming out to welcome a leader of another party, the PPP had written a new history. He also lauded the lawyers community for their support to the party.