Sharjah 24 – AFP: Three-time prime minister Nawaz Sharif arrived back in Pakistan Saturday after four years of self-imposed exile, primed to make a political comeback ahead of elections.
The South Asian nation is facing overlapping security, economic and political crises ahead of polls already pushed back to January 2024, with Sharif's primary opponent, the fiercely popular Imran Khan, languishing in jail.
Sharif spent the past several days in Dubai and left on a chartered flight packed with journalists, touching down in the capital Islamabad around 1:30 pm (0830 GMT) according to local media.
"We are completely ready for elections," he told reporters before his flight took off.
"Our country which should have been at the heights of prosperity has really gone backwards," he said. "How did we get here? Why did it come to this?"
Analysts say Sharif's return has likely been brokered by the powerful military establishment, which cracked down on Khan's party after their relationship soured as he was ousted last year.
Sharif will travel onwards to the eastern megacity of Lahore, where supporters were already gathering for a welcome home rally with streets shrouded in green and yellow party banners, posters and flags.
More than 7,000 police have been enlisted to control crowds expected at the Greater Iqbal Park where his homecoming speech is due later, according to a senior officer on site.
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