PESHAWAR, Nov 4: Pakistan Muslim League (N) secretary-general Iqbal Zafar Jhagra has said that the nation is under martial law in the name of emergency.

Talking to newsmen at his Jhagra village residence on Sunday, he said it was time for the nation to wake up and play a role against the military rule which had caused irreparable losses to the country since the first coup against elected government of the PML in 1999.

He said that it was a great test for people to defend their basic rights usurped by the government.

Mr Jhagra said the entire nation was in a state of shock on this dreadful action taken by the unlawful rulers.

He said that repeated mockery in the name of rule of law had tarnished the country’s image abroad.

The declaration of emergency, he said, could be a pressing need of Gen Pervez Musharraf, who had brought the country to this point, but it had never been a necessity for people.

The PML-N secretary-general said that Gen Musharraf had made a mess to prolong his unconstitutional and unlawful rule in Pakistan.

He said that after 60 years’ struggle the nation had wrested away independence for judiciary from the clutches of dictator, which was a good omen for the nation, but the military rulers had once again reversed the course of history.

He said that the judiciary and the media were the main casualty of the new martial law imposed by the military dictator.

He said the nation saluted to seven judges of the Supreme Court, who had given a verdict against the state of emergency and refused to give in to the dictators.

He said that he had contacted leaders of the All Pakistan Democratic Movement for a meeting to discuss the political situation and take a joint stand on it.

The PML-N secretary-general said if Pakistan People’s Party chairperson Benazir Bhutto severed her contacts with Gen Musharraf, she would be invited to the next meeting of the All Parties Democratic Movement.