Pakistan’s government today urged exiled former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif not to return home, saying he should honour a promise he made to stay away after being ousted from power.

A court today ordered the arrest of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s brother, three days before the siblings are to return to Pakistan to challenge President Gen Pervez Musharraf, a lawyer said.

Corruption cases against former prime minister Nawaz Sharif have been reopened in Pakistan, and a court today ordered the arrest of his younger brother ahead of their return home from exile next week.