LONDON/LAHORE, Jan 29: Ending his five years of exile in Saudi Arabia, former prime minister Mian Nawaz Sharif arrived here on Sunday night.

Mr Sharif had taken a Saudi Airlines’ flight which landed at London’s Heathrow airport at about 11:30pm Pakistan time.

He was welcomed by his brother and Pakistan Muslim League president Shahbaz Sharif, Secretary-General PML-N Zafar Jhagra, Sartaj Aziz, Ghaus Ali Shah and Khwaja Mohammad Asif.

According to a party press release, a large number of PML-N activists and local leaders accorded a warm Nawaz in London welcome to their leader.

The former prime minister, who was accompanied by wife Kulsoom, was not allowed by the airport authorities to use the main exit so that “other passengers are not inconvenienced”. He left the airport by an alternate exit. He was to be taken to Slough, about an hour’s drive from Central London where a banquet had been arranged in his honour.

The British government has issued a six-month multiple-entry visa to Mr Sharif and Begum Kulsoom.

Earlier, Mian Nawaz Sharif left Jeddah amid indications that he would be visiting the kingdom “occasionally” until he was allowed to return to go to Pakistan on the completion of his 10-year exile or earlier.

A large number of Pakistanis in the kingdom and protocol officers of the Saroor Palace saw him off as he left the palace along with his wife Begum Kulsoom Nawaz and son Husain. He was given a warm send-off also at the airport.

Mr Sharif’s mother Shamim Akhtar, daughter Mariam Safdar, though scheduled to accompany him, stayed back as some other family members, including Mian Abbas Sharif, Capt Safdar and his children, did not get the UK visa.

The families of Mian Shahbaz Sharif and Mian Abbas Sharif are in Pakistan. Family sources say that initially the former prime minister would focus on the treatment of his son Hasan and then prepare a schedule of political activities. Mr Sharif, it is said, may have to take his son to the United States for treatment. His secretarial staff at the Saroor Palace would continue to work as usual.

In Lahore, PML-N leaders and supporters distributed sweets, released pigeons and lit fireworks near the Muslim Masjid at Lahori Gate, after hearing the news of their leader flying to the British capital. Provincial president Zulfikar Khosa said Mr Sharif would come back to Pakistan “next year”.