Family, PML-N leaders meet party supremo: Nawaz asks nation to join hands to protect judiciary

LAHORE: Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif has appealed to the nation to put in every effort to defend the supremacy and independence of judiciary against the Imran Khan government.

The nation will have to unite against all forces working to undermine the judicial system and hold it hostage to their nefarious designs, Nawaz told the party leaders and workers, who met him at Kot Lakhpat jail for weekly meeting on Thursday.

PML-N Secretary Information Marriyum Aurangzeb told the media later that Nawaz Sharif asked the party leaders to hold a joint meeting of the PML-N parliamentary parties in Senate and National Assembly to formulate a joint workable agenda to counter the government excesses against the judiciary.

She said parliamentary leadership of the party would meet on Friday (today) to finalise the strategy to counter PTI government’s onslaught on the judiciary in the shape of references, filed against the judges to pressure them and impose the government will on due process of the law. She said Nawaz Sharif had reiterated his resolve to guard the sanctity of the vote and told his followers not to worry about his health but to understand that his cause was greater than his health and any other matter at hand.

PML-N Punjab Information Secretary Azma Zahid Bukhari told the media that Nawaz Sharif warned that the government had bared its intentions by witch-hunting of opponents in all state institutions and by targeting the upright judges of the Supreme Court to clear the obstacles in its dictatorial designs. The parliamentarians must expose government’s real motives behind the vicious campaign against the honest judges and oppose this smear campaign in every possible way, he was quoted as saying.

Azma said Nawaz looked tired and sleepless, and upon asking he told leaders that he had been feeling angina pain for few days. Besides, he was suffering from a sore throat.

Azma Bukhari said Nawaz Sharif urged the opposition parties should come up with a decisive programme, whether it was a movement against the oppressive regime or protests in and outside the parliament. Urging the party leadership not to make any compromise on the independence of judiciary, Nawaz asked them to activate the lawyers wing and allied bodies of the party across the country, and hold meetings with the bar associations to chalk out a concerted strategy, she said.

Nawaz said notwithstanding that he was serving a jail term at the age of 70 because of some members of judiciary, his incarceration could not contain his resolve, resilience and commitment to guard vital national interest, supremacy of the constitution and judiciary, added Azma.

“I don’t care about what punitive actions might be taken against me for standing up for supremacy and independence of judiciary, despite being in jail, as I consider it a duty for every patriotic citizen,” he told Marriyum, adding that prevailing circumstances demanded a selfless defence of constitutional institutions. Marriyum said the PTI government’s open attack on members of judiciary exposed the dictatorial and autocratic mentality of the regime. The jail bars could not dampen his determination to protect national interests and stand for the rights of people and the sanctity of the vote, she added.

Agencies add: PML-N leader Marriyum Aurangzeb said the party was mulling over bringing minus-Imran formula after Eid. Talking to the media, she said Nawaz Sharif asked for presenting the suggestion in multi-party conference.

Meanwhile, Rana Sanaullah said those who would not participate in anti-government movement were not well-wishers of the country. He claimed that NAB chairman was scandalised for not fulfilling “do more” demand of the government.

Nawaz Sharif directed the PML-N lawyers to express solidarity with the independent judiciary. “We respect judiciary and Pakistan Muslim League-N had played a pivotal role in the movement for an independent judiciary,” he said. Party leaders Pervaiz Rasheed, Rafique Rajwana, Ataullah Tarar, Rana Sanaullah, Mirza Javed, Ghulam Mustafa, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Col Javed, Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, Marriyum Aurangzeb and Khurram Dastgir visited him in jail.

The family members who met the PML-N supremo in jail included his daughter Maryam Nawaz, mother Begum Shamim Akhtar, Hamza Shahbaz, and others.