Former premier Nawaz Sharif is expected to return to Pakistan from exile in Saudi Arabia within the next three to four days, his party said on Friday.

However, it was not immediately clear whether Sharif � who has been living in Jeddah since he was deported to Saudi Arabia after he tried to come back to Pakistan in September -- would return before November 26, the last date for filing nominations for the general election scheduled for January 8.

"We were told by Nawaz Sharif that due to the efforts of the Saudi leadership, he will return in three to four days," Raja Zafar-ul-Haq, chairman of Sharif's PML-N party, told Dawn News channel.

Asked if Sharif would return before November 26, Haq said: "I am not sure about that." PML-N leaders on Thursday obtained nomination papers on behalf of Sharif, his brother Shahbaz Sharif and his wife Kulsoom in Lahore [Images].

 Sharif on Friday flew from Jeddah to Riyadh to call on Saudi King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz and was expected to announce the schedule for his return, PML-N leaders said.

Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, the chief of the ruling PML-Q, had said on Thursday that Sharif was due to return under a new deal he had worked out with the Saudi leadership.

Sharif had agreed to go into exile in Saudi Arabia in 2000 in exchange for the charges against him being dropped. Before imposing emergency earlier this month, Musharraf had said that Sharif could not return for at least three more years.

However, speculation has been rife about Sharif's return since Musharraf made a brief visit to Saudi Arabia on November 20.

Though the military ruler's spokesman said there was no contact between him and Sharif, it is believed that Sharif met Lieutenant General Nadeem Taj, chief of the Inter-Services Intelligence, who accompanied Musharraf to Riyadh.

Political circles in Pakistan have been abuzz with reports that Musharraf is reaching out to Sharif following the breakdown of his talks with former premier Benazir Bhutto [Images] on a possible power-sharing arrangement.

The ruling PML-Q has put on a brave face amidst reports of Sharif's return. Former minister of state for information Tariq Azeem said the PML-Q has no objection to the return of Sharif to the country. He said when an understanding is reached between the two parties, both are bound to abide by it.

However, political observers believe Sharif's return could cause many leaders of the PML-Q to switch allegiance to the PML-N to improve their prospects in the January 8 elections to the national and provincial assemblies.