The government on Tuesday deported Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Shahbaz Sharif to Saudi Arabia a little over an hour after he flew into Lahore to try to end his three-year exile. Shahbazâs plane touched down in Lahore at 6:22pm and was immediately surrounded by commandos. Kissing the ground was all Shahbaz could do before the commandos took him into custody.
| "Finish your smoochin', buddy! Back on the plane!" |
Airport authorities cancelled a Pakistan International Airlines flight for Karachi and the plane took Shahbaz on an unscheduled flight to Jeddah. Commandos beat up some journalists accompanying Shahbaz, snatching their cameras and exposing their film. âThey slapped two photojournalists and snatched their cameras before they came out of the aircraft,â a British journalist said.
| "Got a statement for the press, officer?... Ow!... Oooch! Hey! Stop that!" |
Large police contingents were posted on most roads and key intersections throughout Lahore, to stop PML-N workers from welcoming Shahbaz at the airport. They fired teargas, made baton charges and detained dozens of PML-N and ARD activists among the thousands who joined the rally. A senior police officer said 16,000 policemen were deployed in Lahore on Tuesday to stop the PML-N workers from going to Lahoreâs Allama Iqbal International Airport to welcome Shahbaz. |