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Sharief leaves for Saudi Arabia with family

Haris Darvesh in Karachi

Former prime minister of Pakistan Nawaz Sharief and his family left for Saudi Arabia early Sunday morning following a presidential pardon, 14 months after Sharief's government was overthrown in an army coup.

"On the advice of Chief Executive General Pervez Musharraf, the president of Pakistan has pardoned Nawaz Sharief's remaining jail sentence while the rest of the punishment awarded by the honourable courts, which includes fine, forfeiture of property and disqualification from public office would remain in place," a government release in Islamabad said.

The statement added that "Nawaz Sharief and his family have been exiled to Saudi Arabia" and that "this decision has been taken in the best interest of the country and the people of Pakistan."

According to the deal, the Sharief family has agreed to surrender a part of its wealth against liabilities; leave Pakistan and stay away from politics, The News reported citing unnamed official sources.

Sharief's elder daughter Mariam and younger son Hassan played a vital role in facilitating the deal.

"Hassan had been meeting some top officials of a western power in the recent past, while Mariam had been frequently travelling to the Middle East, calling on members of a ruling family there," the newspaper said.

The former prime minister was awarded 14 years' imprisonment on corruption charges, fined Rs 20 million and disqualified from contesting election for 21 years following the coup in October last year.

The government statement said the deal to send Sharief out of the country was brokered by Saudi Arabia.

Sources said that Saudi defence minister and former intelligence chief Prince Turki Al Faisal arrived in Islamabad Sunday morning on a special plane and held detailed talks with the military government officials as well as with Begum Kulsoom Nawaz, Sharief's wife, at the residence of Saudi Arabia's ambassador to Pakistan.

Almost all members of the Sharief family, including the former PM's father Mian Sharief and brother and former governor of Punjab province Shahbaz Sharief, were to leave the country under the agreement.

Nawaz Sharief and his family had pleaded his failing health and need of specialist medical care urgently requesting that he may be allowed to proceed abroad for treatment. The Sharief family had also submitted that they be allowed to accompany him.

Sources said that under the deal, Nawaz Sharief and his family would not return to Pakistan for 10 years.

Informed sources said General Pervez Musharraf had taken the top army brass into confidence on this deal.

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