Musharraf rival’s exile over

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan – Pakistan’s Supreme Court on Thursday cleared the way for former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to return to the country after nearly seven years in exile, a decision that remakes the nation’s political landscape and dealt a major blow to President Pervez Musharraf as he struggles to maintain power.

Musharraf had fought hard to block the return of Sharif, a political nemesis and the man he ousted in a 1999 military-led coup. Government lawyers argued in court that Sharif had agreed in 2000 to spend 10 years in exile in Saudi Arabia rather than serve the life sentence in prison imposed on him when Musharraf took over.

But the court ruled Thursday that the exile agreement was not legally binding and that Sharif has “an inalienable right to enter and remain in the country as a citizen of Pakistan.”

Sharif is now poised to become Musharraf’s main political adversary as the president, who also heads the army, attempts to secure a new term this fall. Sharif has said he will try to block the general’s plans, and he may have an ally in Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammed Chaudhry. Musharraf attempted to fire Chaudhry in the spring, and since his reinstatement last month, the judge has issued a string of aggressive rulings that have eaten away at Musharraf’s authority.

Sharif on Thursday predicted that Musharraf was on his way out.

“Democracy has won. Dictatorship has lost,” Sharif told reporters at a news conference in London. Sharif, 57, said he and his brother would be returning to Pakistan “as soon as we can,” and aides said it would probably happen within the next few weeks.

At the courthouse in Islamabad, the decision set off an exuberant celebration, with hundreds of supporters chanting “Go, Musharraf, go!” and jumping on top of honking cars to cheer a ruling many interpreted as an act of defiance against the military-led government.

Despite the court’s ruling, Sharif’s return will be risky. Government lawyers indicated Thursday that they intend to try to enforce Sharif’s life sentence, which could make it all but impossible for him to participate in politics.

The sentence stems from a conviction on hijacking and terrorism charges relating to Sharif’s decision in 1999 not to allow Musharraf’s plane to land on Pakistani soil. Sharif, who was trying to fire Musharraf as his army chief, nearly caused the plane to crash. The act helped trigger the coup that brought Musharraf to power.

With Thursday’s ruling, Musharraf must now allow Sharif’s plane to land when the former prime minister flies back. Even so, Sharif may be arrested before he can set foot outside the airport. Sharif said he is prepared for that possibility. “I’m not afraid of anything,” he said Thursday.

Arresting Sharif would also carry political risk for Musharraf, because it could incite Sharif’s supporters to take to the streets.