April 06, 2007	Friday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 17, 1428

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ISLAMABAD, April 5: Leaders of the Pakistan Muslim League- Nawaz (PML-N) on Thursday admitted that the opposition parties lacked unity and vowed that the party would continue its efforts to end differences between the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA) and the People’s Party Parliamentarians (PPP).

Speaking at a news conference, PML-N information secretary Ahsan Iqbal, MNAs Khawja Mohammad Asif and Maimoona Hashmi announced that all opposition parties would stage a joint protest demonstration in front of the Supreme Court building on April 13 when ‘non-functional’ Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry would appear before the Supreme Judicial Council.

Khawaja Asif said in the coming days, PML-N would play a major role in bringing the MMA and the PPP on one platform. He said the opposition parties should join hands on minimum agenda of making joint efforts to oust Gen Pervez Musharraf and holding of free and fair polls under an independent election commission.

He claimed that the ongoing judicial crisis had mobilised the people and it would gain further movement with the passage of time.

Responding to a question regarding the reports of a deal between PPP and the government, he said the PPP was committed to the charter of democracy and was an important component of the Alliance for the Restoration of Democracy (ARD).

Mr Asif condemned the regime for political victimisation of opponents and keeping PML-N’s acting president Makhdoom Javed Hashami and MNA Khawaja Saad Rafiq in detention. He demanded of the government to immediately release both the leaders.

Replying to a question, he claimed those who had attacked the Supreme Court during the Nawaz Sharif’s government were today part of the ruling PML. He alleged that the decision to attack the apex court was taken by Senator Mushahid Hussain and Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, who was the interior minister at that time.