Events leading to the exile and return of Pakistan’s Nawaz Sharif

Pakistan’s three-time Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif arrived home on Saturday from four years of self-imposed exile in London to kick-start his party’s campaign for an election early next year, targeting former premier Imran Khan as the biggest rival.
The 73-year-old veteran politician will lead a rally in his eastern hometown of Lahore after his chartered plane arrived in Islamabad with more than 150 people from his party and media organisations, the party and sources said.
After a brief stay in the Islamabad airport lounge to sign and file appeals against the convictions he was in jail for before he left the country, Sharif is to fly to Lahore.
Close aide Ishaq Dar posted on X, “The process to sign and verify legal documents have been completed.”
Rallies from various regions of the South Asian country were pouring into Lahore ahead of his arrival, a party spokesperson said. A police officer said, heavy police contingents were deployed to guard the rally’s venue.