By IANS
Jeddah : Deposed Pakistan prime minister Nawaz Sharif had “disregarded his pledge that he will stay away from Pakistan and politics”, the Saudi government said on Monday.
An official statement carried by the Saudi Press Agency said: “The Kingdom welcomes him again after his return to Islamabad, disregarding his pledge that he will stay away from Pakistan and politics.”
According to a media report here Tuesday, Muhammad ibn Ahmed Tayeb, director general of the Foreign Ministry’s office in the Makkah region, defended Saudi mediation in the Musharraf-Sharif standoff, saying it was aimed at safeguarding the interests of the Pakistani people and protecting the country’s stability.
Tayeb underscored the long-standing historic relations between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan. “The Kingdom’s main concern is the security, peace and stability of Pakistan… We consider Pakistan a strategic ally,” Tayeb told the English-language newspaper Arab News.
Sharif was treated like a VIP on his arrival here after an abortive attempt to return to his country. Arab News reported that he was accorded treatment that is normally reserved for former prime ministers when he arrived at King Abdul Aziz International Airport’s Royal Terminal.
Sharif was received at the airport by Prince Muqrin, chief of intelligence, and a number of other officials. The official statement carried by the Saudi Press Agency also said: “Nawaz Sharif will stay in the Kingdom as a guest.”
The paper that Sharif looked tired after a long journey, and from Jeddah’s royal airport he was taken to a palatial residence that he owns in the city’s Al-Hamra district. There were a large number of supporters outside. Saudi security forces stood guard and would not allow journalists access to the area.
Photographers, who were offered as much as $1,500 by world photo agencies for a picture of Sharif in Jeddah, were prevented from taking any shots.