Rediff

Islamabad, Sep 10: Amid high drama, a defiant former Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was arrested at the airport on Monday shortly after his return from a seven-year exile, setting the stage for a confrontation and serious political challenge to President Pervez Musharraf.

He has been taken to undisclosed location by helicopter.

Earlier, high drama marked his arrival with Sharif refusing to hand over the passport to immigration authorities and continued his defiance on the tarmac.

As soon as the PIA aircraft landed, commandos surrounded the plane. A senior army officer along with a group of officials was seen entering the plane for discussing various 'options' with the PML-N leader.

Immigration authorities asked Sharif to hand them over his passport but he refused to do so, journalists traveling with Sharif from London [Images], said.

The 57-year-old leader was the last to disembark the aircraft. He was then taken to the airport lounge where he reportedly held talks with representatives of the Saudi Arabian government.

Cabinet ministers said Sharif would be given an option of being deported or being jailed. Journalists on board the plane said Sharif preferred remaining in Pakistan instead of being deported.

PML-N leader and Sharif's son, Hasan Sharif, said: "The government is in total chaos in respect of what to do with him. Of course we are hearing conflicting reports that he will be arrested or he will be deported or he will be allowed to go to Lahore [Images]. I think it is important time for everybody."

"He is the leader of a big party, he has got support from lot of Pakistanis waiting for him to come out of the Islamabad airport," he said.

Meanwhile, supporters of the Pakistan Muslim League-N leader clashed with police, which prevented them from proceeding to the airport.

Police used batons and tear gas shells on stone-pelting party activists who tried to march to the fortified airport.

Ahead of Sharif's return, police arrested top leaders and thousands of activists of his PML-N and allied parties to prevent them from going to the airport to receive him.

PML-N Chairman Raza Zafarul Haq, President Javed Hashmi and Ahsan Iqbal were among those arrested.

Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal President Qazi Hussain Ahmed, who was ill, was placed under house arrest while its General Secretary Maulana Fazlur Rehman was detained. MMA is part of the All Party Democratic Movement floated by Sharif two month ago.

In a last minute change of plans, Sharif had on Sunday night boarded the PIA aircraft from London's Heathrow airport instead of the earlier planned Gulf Air flight and left behind his brother Shahbaz to coordinate the party's activities in case of his arrest or deportation.

Sharif, 57, who was ousted in a military coup in 1999 by General Pervez Musharraf, has arrived along with some political associates and a huge media contingent.

His return has been firmly opposed by the government, which insists that he went on a 10 year exile deal in 2000 and can return only 2010.

The government has made elaborate security arrangements and sealed off five km radius around the airport. Jammers have been installed at the airport to jam cell phones. Media personnel were kept out of the airport and small contingent of media managed to stay put outside the airport.