Return of Sharif, who has conviction for graft, is likely to have been smoothed by deal with country’s powerful military, expert says

Nawaz Sharif, the three-time Pakistan prime minister, was on his way home on Saturday after four years of self-imposed exile, poised to make a political comeback before elections in January.

“This is a time for hope and celebration. His return bodes well for Pakistan’s economy and its people,” said Khawaja Muhammad Asif, a senior leader of Sharif’s Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party.