ISLAMABAD, Aug 7: Interior Minister Moinuddin Haider said on Wednesday that the government will not accept any one-sided effort by the Sharif family to disturb the arrangement regarding its 10-year exile to Saudi Arabia.

Speaking in Pakistan Television programme ‘Encounter’, he said if the Sharifs tried to land in Pakistan it would disturb the arrangement which would not be acceptable for the government. No talks had been held on the issue to alter the situation, he said.

The Sharif family left Pakistan in late 2000 under an agreement under which they would stay in Saudi Arabia for 10 years and would not take part in politics during the period, he said.

He said the Pakistan government, Saudi government and Sharif family were parties to the agreement and until now there was no change in the arrangement.

Gen Moin said the Sharif family proceeded to Saudi Arabia willingly and took with it its belongings.

Replying to another question, he said former prime minister Benazir Bhutto had been convicted by a court in absentia for avoiding appearance before the judge in a corruption case.

She had to face the court if she returned as many cases of corruption were pending against her, he said.

He said Altaf Hussain of Muttahida Qaumi Movement was also convicted in a case and he would have to face more cases if he chose to return.

He said that even under the facility of plea bargaining, convicted persons were debarred from contesting elections.

The minister said splinter groups of banned Jihadi outfits and sectarian groups were behind the incidents of terrorism and bomb blasts.

He said some elements also felt aggrieved by the government’s decision to stand with the international community and the United States in its fight against terrorism.

He said the attack on US consulate did not hurt America but resulted in loss of lives of innocent Pakistanis, destroyed city’s property and vehicles and damaged the confidence of foreign investors.

He said that during the rule of Taliban, many people visited training camps in Afghanistan, interacted with each other and developed a particular thinking about Islam. They were misguided people and should re-think their policies, he added.—APP