ISLAMABAD/LAHORE, 26 November 2007 — Former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif returned home from exile yesterday to a rousing welcome at Lahore and immediately pledged to help restore democracy in Pakistan.

Sharif arrived in Lahore’s Allama Iqbal Airport to a warm welcome from party officials and thousands of jubilant supporters, ending seven years of exile. A beaming Sharif, confident of the pivotal role he is likely to play in Pakistan’s politics, vowed to restore the rule of law and the constitution — suspended by President Gen. Pervez Musharraf under his state of emergency — and to strengthen democracy.

Greeting the crowds massed outside the airport, he was briefly lifted high onto their shoulders before boarding a motorcade for a drive into the heart of his political fiefdom.

“I am here to play my role and also make my own efforts to restore the country to democracy,” Sharif said. “We want democracy, nothing else,” he said.

His plane landed at 6:25 p.m. (13:25 GMT) carrying Sharif, family members and some of his closest aides. It was, in fact, Sharif’s second return since he went into exile — his first, on Sept. 10 this year, ended just four hours later when he was deported to Saudi Arabia.

Sharif flew home this time with the government’s acquiescence, upping the pressure on Musharraf, who imposed emergency rule on Nov. 3.

Sharif appeared to rule out working with Musharraf, saying “we have a different agenda to his agenda,” but declined to say if his party would boycott general elections on Jan. 8.

“I have come back to my country with your prayers,” Sharif, wearing a white traditional Pakistani tunic and a black waistcoat, told the crowd. “I can assure you I will not leave no stone unturned in the service of the people and the country.” Senior party aides who were the first to greet him quoted him as saying it was “the best moment of my life.”

“I thank God that I have arrived in Pakistan,” the officials, who were the first to greet him, quoted Sharif as saying. “We will fully participate in national politics. We don’t believe in the politics of vengeance.”

Security was tight, with more than 6,000 police manning barricades at the airport and on the road into the city, but they were hopelessly overwhelmed by the surges of supporters at the terminal building.

Workers decorated the streets with banners, posters and portraits. Crowds lined the route from the airport to the city. Loudspeakers on cars boomed out music and youths waved victory signs as they blared horns.

Party officials complained hundreds of workers had been arrested. A police official admitted arresting “potential trouble-makers” to stop any “untoward situation” arising.

— Additional input from agencies