Pakistan Orders Arrest of Exiled PM's Brother

Former leader intends to return next week
By Sam Gale Rosen,  Newser Staff
Posted Sep 7, 2007 10:00 AM CDT
Pakistan Orders Arrest of Exiled PM's Brother
Supporters of Pakistan's ousted Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif hold a rally in favor of their leader with a lion, an election symbol of Sharif in the last elections, in Lahore, Pakistan on Thursday, Aug. 30, 2007. President Gen. Pervez Musharraf will not succumb to pressure in deciding whether to quit...   (Associated Press)

A Pakistan court has ordered the arrest of Shahbaz Sharif, the brother of exiled former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. Both Sharifs are planning to return to Pakistan next week after seven years of exile, where they will mount opposition to the rule of General Pervez Musharraf. Musharraf has been ordering the detention of hundreds of Sharif supporters in an attempt to crack down on big welcome rallies.

"There's complete panic in government ranks," says a spokesman for Sharif, who claims Musharraf is facing serious opposition to his rule at home. Analysts say that Nawaz Sharif himself will likely be arrested when he gets to Pakistan, which may render him stronger and more popular. (More Nawaz Sharif stories.)

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