With the Pakistan Supreme Court set to take up the twin petition against the deportation of Nawaz Sharif, President Pervez Musharraf has said everything was done by the government according to the law, but claimed he had no role in sending the deposed premier to Saudi Arabia.
After Sharif, the Pakistan Muslim League-N leader, was sent to Jeddhah within hours of his arrival in Islamabad on Monday following a seven-year exile, Musharraf said the former premier was morally bound to stay out of the country by the virtue of his deal with Riyadh before going on exile in 2000, DawnNews TV reported.
Defending the government's decision to deport Sharif, Musharraf said at a meeting that everything was done according to the law and all legal formalities were fulfilled, the report said.
Referring to the agitation by Sharif's supporters, he said no body would be allowed to take law into their hands and stressed that the government would do all it could to maintain law and order in the country.
Apparently considering the legal implications arising out of the contempt petitions filed by Sharif's family in the Supreme Court, which had allowed the deposed premier to return home in a landmark verdict last month, Musharraf's office, claimed that the President had no role in the deportation.
The President played no role in Sharif's deportation, Musharraf's spokesman Maj-Gen (Retd) Rashid Qureshi said.
"Put this question to the government. The presidency has nothing to do with it," he was quoted by The News as saying. Qureshi was reluctant to speak more on the issue.
Another senior official, who deals with the media, was annoyed by queries about the presidency's involvement.
When asked who decided to deport Sharif, the unnamed official at the presidency said "Ask the government," the daily reported.
Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz, however, claimed the government did not force Sharif to return to Saudi Arabia, and it was his own choice.
"We did not force him to return. I have been told that he was given two options - either to go to prison or proceed to Saudi Arabia," Aziz said in an interview to CNBC television.
He also mentioned the Sharif family's "agreement" with Saudi Arabia and said the promises made by them should have been fulfilled.
Aziz said there was an agreement between Sharifs and King Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz of Saudi Arabia, under which he had gone into exile for ten years.
When asked about the details of Sharif's return to Saudi Arabia, the Pakistan prime minister said legal facts and details of the issue would be uncovered.
To a question whether Sharif's return could be regarded as a contempt of court, Aziz said as the matter is subjudice, "let's the court decide." He, however, added that the government has lot of respect for the judiciary, which is one of the important pillars of the state.
Asked whether Sharif would be allowed to take part in the next general elections, he said such decisions are taken by the Election Commission.
About talks with former prime minister Benazir Bhutto, he said, "it was part of a national political reconciliation" and the government was in contact with all political parties to achieve this objective.
To another question, Aziz rejected the notion that talks with Bhutto's Pakistan People's Party had any negative impact on the ruling PML-Q and said the parleys have not yet reached a final stage.
Asked if Bhutto could also face legal cases on her arrival, Aziz said "nobody is above the law and the law will take its course."
