Islamabad: Pakistan government on August 5 said it will not allow Shahbaz Sharif, recently elected Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) (PMN) chief, to return and asked former Premier Benazir Bhutto to head back home to make a "plea bargain" in the corruption cases against her.

The military regime will not permit deposed Premier Nawaz Sharif's brother Shahbaz to return from his exile despite his election as leader of PML (N), Interior Minister Moinuddin Haider told reporters in Karachi.

"Shahbaz and other members of the Sharif's family opted to leave the country as a part of a deal struck with the government and would be dealt with accordingly. It is between the parties that permitted them to leave Pakistan safely and his return would be a violation," Haider said.

Sharif has consistently denied any deal between him and the regime that banished him and his family for 10 years.

Haider denied media reports that Shahbaz's election followed a deal between Nawaz Sharif and the Musharraf regime to isolate former Bhutto.

Haider also said Bhutto should return from her self-exile to "admit to her guilt" in the corruption cases filed against her and apply for a "plea bargain".

"She should return to Pakistan and start a plea bargain before the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) as a number of others facing corruption charges have done. In the process she might get relief as well," he said.

Plea bargain is the new compromise formula brought in by the military regime under which politicians and officials are given the chance to plead guilty to charges against them and pay the stipulated amounts fixed by the NAB, an official agency probing corruption cases.

PTI