ISLAMABAD: Fearing lack of response from the general public upon their arrival in Pakistan, the Sharifs have decided to land in Lahore, as the PML-N is eyeing support of state machineries in AJK and Gilgit-Baltistan to ensure public attendance, according to a report in The Express Tribune.
Earlier, deposed prime minister Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam Nawaz were scheduled to land in Islamabad from London on the coming Friday.
Maryam confirmed to the media in London on Sunday that her father and she would land in Lahore on July 13.
She said, "People fly out of the country to evade punishment but we are returning to face it."
"Nawaz Sharif has set a new benchmark by offering his arrest," she said emphasising that their sacrifices will not go in vain as they will benefit the future generations.
Maryam further said 'vote ko izzat do' (respect the vote) movement has entered a decisive stage ahead of the July 25 polls.
She said the nation was behind her father as they planned to return, whereas others chose to fly out of the country with excuses like 'backache', in an obvious reference to Pervez Musharraf.
"There are leaders who live abroad to escape punishment," she concluded.
On account of serious differences among the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz senior leaders in Punjab and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, the party leadership was not hopeful that party members and public would turn up in significant numbers at the Islamabad International Airport on Friday to welcome Sharif and his daughter, which is why the venue was changed to Lahore, it is learnt from well-placed party sources.