September 01, 2008	Monday	Sha'aban 29, 1429

KHAIRPUR, Aug 31: Sindh PML-N president Syed Ghaus Ali Shah has said that during his imprisonment and exile, the Musharraf government repeatedly pressurised him to become an approver against party leader Nawaz Sharif but he refused to oblige them.

He was addressing a public gathering in Phool Bagh here on Saturday night on his arrival in his native town after eight years of exile.

Syed Ghaus Ali Shah said that he was tortured in jail and was offered ministries on condition to become approver against the Sharif family but he made Sindh and its people to feel proud and returned to Sindh with dignity.

He said that Pakistan Muslim League-N had wanted to remain in the coalition but Pakistan People’s Party co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari did not keep his words.

Mr Shah said that PML-N had no regrets on being in opposition and it would not plan any conspiracy against the Pakistan People’s Party and its coalition government rather PML-N would try to play a positive role in and outside the assemblies.

He said that Benazir Bhutto had said that Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry was her chief justice, PML-N has stood to these words.

However, PPP did not give importance to the words of its martyred leader.

Syed Ghaus Ali Shah said that after the assassination of Ms Benazir Bhutto, political conditions in Sindh and country changed and PML-N candidates could not be elected as MPAs or MNAs from Sindh but nowadays, the situation was different as popularity graph of PPP has taken a nosedive.

He said that due to rule of the dictator for nine years, the country faced an economic decline. While now there was a democratic government, price hike, unemployment, lawlessness and other problems persisted in the country.

Saleem Zia, Zain Ansari, Nawaz Ali Shah and others also spoke on the occasion.

Earlier, Mr Shah was accorded tumultuous welcome at different parts of the city.