Sharif supporters clash with police in Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Pakistani police arrested key supporters of former premier Nawaz Sharif and clashed with around 100 others as they tried to reach Islamabad airport to welcome him on his return from exile.

The activists from Sharif's faction of the Pakistan Muslim League party had their cars halted by police about five kilometres from the airport and then tried to walk.

Police hit some people with sticks and arrested dozens of senior party members including Zafar Iqbal Jhagra, the party's secretary general.

They also detained leaders of several nationalist parties. 

More than 1,000 police were deployed to seal off the airport as Sharif's flight from London touched down early on Monday.