Share this story!            

Saudis pressing Musharraf for Sharif’s return

* Musharraf says he will allow Kulsoom to return now
* Benazir letter fingers five officials

By Our Special Correspondent

ISLAMABAD: King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia is pressing President General Pervez Musharraf to allow former prime minister Nawaz Sharif to return home before the upcoming general elections, Daily Times has learnt.

Highly-placed intelligence sources said that King Abdullah communicated this appeal to Gen Musharraf on October 15.

Kulsoom can return now: But Gen Musharraf in his response to the Saudi monarch said that while Mr Sharif and his brother Shahbaz should only return after the general elections, Mr Sharif’s wife, Kulsoom, may return to Pakistan immediately.

The Saudis made the request after Ms Bhutto insisted on returning to Pakistan. The Saudis are said to be mulling over Gen Musharraf’s request.

BB letter names five: Meanwhile, reliable sources said that Ms Bhutto, in her letter to Gen Musharraf of October 16 before she returned to Pakistan, had named five former and serving officials who should be investigated in the event that she was assassinated on her return to Pakistan.

These include IB chief Ijaz Shah, Mr Sharif’s former top spook Imtiaz Billa, former ISI chief Hameed Gul, special prosecutor for NAB Waseem Afzal and Sindh Chief Minister Arbab Ghulam Rahim. One of the six “suspicious” cell numbers cited in her letter led to several arrests, according to the intelligence sources.

Home | Main

Share this story!