15 January 2004	Thursday	22 Ziqa'ad 1424

ISLAMABAD, Jan 14: The central information secretary of the Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N), Mohammed Siddiqul Farooque, has challenged the federal minister for information, Sheikh Rashid Ahmed, to produce in public the "so-called agreement on Nawaz Sharif's exile."

The PML-N leader was commenting on the claim of the minister that the exile agreement was guaranteed by the Saudi government and that he carried a copy of the agreement in his pocket.

In a statement here on Wednesday, Mr Farooque said Gen Pervez Musharraf had already admitted in a meeting with editors of national dailies before the general elections that he would not have any place if Nawaz Sharif and Benazir Bhutto returned to the country.

He said if there was no restriction on the return of Nawaz Sharif then why was the government not issuing him a passport? He said the people, "who used to sit in the feet of Nawaz Sharif and bow before him," were deplorably making accusations. "They should not forget their worth," he added.

He recalled that the PML-N had polled 3.5 million votes in the last general elections despite the absence of its leaders and massive rigging by the administration and agencies. On the other hand, Mr Farooque said Sheikh Rashid's nominated candidate lost the elections despite all out support from the government machinery and tall promises of development schemes worth millions of rupees.

Mr Farooque challenged the minister to quit his assembly seat and run for election with anti-Nawaz slogans, provided the election was held under independent and impartial machinery, and the results were announced on the spot.