Sharif returns to low-key, high security reception

ISLAMABAD, JULY 8: Pakistan premier Nawaz Sharif returned home today amid tight security and immediately briefed the army top brass and other key members of the establishment about his parleys on the Kargil crisis with US President Bill Clinton, which provoked strong protests in the country although president Rafiq Tarar termed the mission as a quot;great diplomatic successquot;. There was no official statement available on the high-level meeting, attended among others by army chief General Pervez Musharraf and foreign minister Sartaj Aziz, but it was learnt that Sharif took stock of the situation in the country following his commitment to Clinton to take quot;concrete stepsquot; to restore the sanctity of the Line of Control.

He also briefed the meeting about his talks with British prime minister Tony Blair. President Tarar, during a meeting with a delegation of religious leaders, said Sharif8217;s visit to the US and the UK was a quot;great diplomatic successquot;, and the government asserted it was in quot;complete harmonyquot; with thepowerful army establishment on the Kargil issue and the premier would soon take the nation into confidence on his meeting with Clinton.

Sharif8217;s return was apparently kept a low-key affair as evident from the fact that the state-run Pakistan Television did not show any clipping of his arrival. The official APP news agency also did not carry details of Sharif8217;s return.

A press conference at Lahore airport where Sharif landed by a scheduled PIA flight, was cancelled at the last moment. Sharif later flew to the capital by a special Falcon plane.

US cautions Pak

WASHINGTON: The US has rejected Pakistan8217;s contention that it has no control over the infiltrators and cautioned Islamabad against linking their withdrawal to the Indians vacating Siachen. They depend on the Pak Army for transport, food and ammunition, and they can order or quot;advisequot; the intruders to come back, US officials said.