LAHORE, April 27: The central working committee of the PML-N is meeting here on Wednesday (today) to discuss the date and modalities of party president Mian Shahbaz Sharif's return to Pakistan at a time when the government is making all possible efforts to have the exiled leader's homecoming blocked.

The PML-N president has already announced that he would come back home by May 10, trampling all restrictions. The government is reportedly urging the 'guarantors' of the banishment accord to honour their obligations and prevent the former chief minister from coming to Lahore.

Raja Zafarul Haq, the party chairman, will preside over the meeting at the residence of Ms Tehmina Daultana, which will also be attended by leaders and legislators from other provinces.

Raja was scheduled to participate in a meeting of political leaders and intellectuals from 50 countries in Cairo to be opened by President Hosni Mubarak on Tuesday. However, due to the CWC meeting, he cancelled his programme of going to Egypt.

Raja Zafarul Haq sent his speech for the Cairo meeting along with a letter explaining his inability to participate. Party Punjab President Zulfikar Khosa said at a news conference at the party secretariat that it was possible that the CWC could not take a decision on the date as it was for Mr Shahbaz to set it in view of the availability of flights.

He said if the government deported the PML-N president on landing in Pakistan, the party would use all legal options. He said the rulers would have to face a serious public reaction in that eventuality.

Secretary-General Saranjaam Khan demanded fresh elections under the supervision of an impartial Election Commissioner. He said the political rulers should have resigned the very day Gen Pervez Musharraf had admitted that corruption leaders had made their way to power despite all checks.

He said the admission meant that the army had failed to eradicate corruption and thus was left with no justification to stay in power. Mr Khosa told a questioner that turncoats would not be allowed to rejoin the PML-N.