Former Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif arrived in the Saudi port city of Jiddah today, hours after he was deported from his country.

Police manned roadblocks and rounded up supporters of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif today as he prepared to end seven years in exile and return to Pakistan to lead a campaign to topple the country’s US-allied military ruler.

Pakistan stepped up airport security, banned rallies and detained opposition activists a day before former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s planned return to challenge the military ruler who sent him into exile seven years ago.