Police blocked a protest march by former Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and hundreds of supporters today.

Former Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's politician brother faced possible arrest today over murder charges dating back to 1998 after both brothers were excluded from forthcoming parliamentary elections.

FORMER prime minister Nawaz Sharif returned to Pakistan from a seven-year exile, hoping to campaign against the country’s US-allied military ruler, but was immediately charged with corruption and deported to Saudi Arabia hours later.

Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif landed in Pakistan today on his return from exile to lead a campaign to topple the country’s US-allied military ruler who ousted him in a coup eight years ago.

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.

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.

Senior Pakistani opposition leader Javed Hashmi was released from prison today and received a rapturous welcome from hundreds of chanting, flag-waving supporters, a day after the Supreme Court granted him bail.