By Xinhua
Washington : The United States said Monday that the expulsion of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif by the Pakistani authorities is “an internal matter”.
“This is an internal matter for the Pakistanis to deal with,” US National Security Council spokesman Gordon Johndroe said.
The US will continue to discuss with various Pakistani parties in order to hold “free and fair elections,” he said.
Johndroe made the remarks after Sharif arrived in city of Jeddah in Saudi Arabia’s Monday after his deportation from Pakistan.
Online news agency reports that the EU has said Sharif should be allowed to return from exile and be given the chance to defend himself against corruption charges in a Pakistani court.
EU spokeswoman Christiane Hohmann told reporters in Brussels Monday that Pakistan’s government should respect ruling by the country’s Supreme Court that Sharif should be allowed to return to Pakistan and that authorities should not obstruct him.
“In our view, the Supreme Court ruling is very clear and should be respected,” Hohmann said.
“So if there is any legal case against Mr Sharif, he should have a chance to defend himself in a Pakistan court.”
Sharif’s plane touched down in Jeddah following his expulsion by the Pakistani authorities after he returned from exile, hoping to ignite a popular campaign to oust President Pervez Musharraf.
Sharif had lived for seven years in Saudi Arabia after Musharraf sent him to exile in Saudi Arabia in 2000. His government was toppled in 1999.
Pakistan is due to hold presidential elections this year.