PPP senior leader Dr Asim Hussain returned to Karachi from London on Friday, where he had gone for medical treatment last month, with a message for thrice-ousted prime minister Nawaz Sharif.

"Nawaz Sharif sahib! The war that you are raging with our military leadership is not good for Pakistan," Dr Hussain, who was released in May after being held in custody of Sindh Rangers and law enforcement agencies for 19 months, warned on his return.

"The military leadership belongs to Pakistan. It belongs to the nation and is from among the people. We are standing with the military leadership. We will protect every inch [of the country]. Move away from this war, otherwise the nation and the PPP will make an example out of you," he said.

"They used to say that Dr Asim will run away, but Dr Asim belongs to the PPP. He is not among those who run away," he said. "Nawaz Sharif sahib, I want to tell you that you and your family can run away, but we will not leave Pakistan."

The PPP leader also accused Sharif of "breaking Pakistan" and attempting to carve out "Greater Punjab", so that he could "own" it. "Our co-chairman has also mentioned this and we are sure that he [Sharif] wants to do this," he said, answering a question on whether he thought Sharif actually wanted to create a 'Greater Punjab'.