ISLAMABAD, Nov 4: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz MNA Khwaja Saad Rafiq has condemned the government for denying constitutional right of ARD President Makhdoom Javed Hashmi to meet his lawyers to defend himself in a mutiny case.

The PML-N MNA, in a statement issued here on Tuesday, also condemned the government for extending physical remand of Mr Hashmi for another nine days by calling a civil judge from his house one hour before the scheduled time of courts.

Mr Rafiq asked the government to explain under which law the whereabouts of Mr Hashmi were not being disclosed to his family members and lawyers. He feared that Mr Hashmi might have been tortured and that was the reason he was not being allowed to meet anyone.

The MNA said opposition parties could not be suppressed through such tactics. Instead, the nation will see a more active and united opposition in the future, he added. He said the combined opposition would soon issue a charge sheet against the government before entering the final phase of battle for the supremacy of democracy.

He said a meeting of the PML-N, Punjab, would be held in Lahore on Wednesday to chalk out the future strategy regarding protest against the detention of the ARD president and the LFO.

The office-bearers of the ARD, Punjab, would also hold a meeting on Thursday to finalize the protest plan, while the MMA would also be invited to take part in the protest campaign, he added.