Gunshots fired at a motorcade for Pakistan’s prime minister struck his vehicle today, but he was not in any of the cars during the apparent assassination attempt, a top government official said.

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 was arrested on corruption charges today soon after his return from exile to Pakistan where he plans to lead a campaign against the US-allied military ruler who ousted him eight years ago, officials said.

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.

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.

A bombing attempt today at Islamabad International Airport was foiled after a guard spotted an abandoned briefcase in the VIP lounge, removed it and detonated it in a rubbish bin outside.