After years in exile, Arbab Ghulam Rahim plans return to Pakistan

“I am returning to Pakistan and will participate in the upcoming general elections” says Rahim.

KARACHI: Pakistan Muslim League (Like-minded) leader and former chief minister Sindh Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim is returning back to the country on March 13 after spending five years in self-exile in the UAE.

Rahim who left the country soon after he was attacked by some enraged political activists following his oath ceremony during the first Sindh Assembly session in April 2008 is scheduled to land at Allama Iqbal International Airport Lahore on Wednesday, say party sources.

Talking to The Express Tribune over the phone from UAE, Dr Rahim who is Central President of PML Q (Like-minded) said, “I am returning to Pakistan and will participate in the upcoming general elections,” adding that he would stay for a few days in Lahore before leaving for Sindh.

He further said that he was neither a criminal, nor had instigated anyone to commit any crime during his tenure as chief minister from June 9, 2004 to November 19, 2007.

PML-Q MPA Arwani who was also going to Dubai said that more than 70 people including MPAs, MNAs and senior leaders belonging to the party have already left for UAE and would fly with Dr Rahim.

A big public gathering has also been scheduled after the arrival of Dr Rahim in Lahore where party leaders and workers from all over the country will participate.

It may be mentioned here that Rahim who is considered to be an arch-rival of the Pakistan Peoples Party had also promised to return a few months ago, but did not mention the timeframe for his arrival.

The recent announcement has given a ray of hope to people of his constituency in Tharparkar district.

The Sindh Assembly had already declared his seat vacant in March 2012 due to his pro-longed absence, but his party had challenged it and the case is still pending before Sindh High Court.  Rahim’s party who has currently five members in the Sindh Assembly had also nominated their missing central president as opposition leader in the provincial assembly, but speaker Nisar Ahmed Khuhro had turned down the nomination.

Some MPAs and ministers have been demanding the arrest of Dr Rahim on his arrival, alleging that he had not given security to Former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto whose caravan came under attack on October 2007.