SWABI, June 8: Pakistan Muslim League-N general secretary Iqbal Zafar Jhagra has said that more political parties will soon endorse the Charter of Democracy signed by his party and the People’s Party Parliamentarians.

Speaking at a workers’ convention here on Thursday, he said the charter would ensure restoration of a democratic system and end the military role in politics.

He said the struggle for restoration of true democracy in the country would continue, adding that the future of the country and its progress and prosperity was linked with a democratic culture.

Referring to the PML-Q, he said the ruling party was a bunch of opportunists, which would disperse with the downfall of Gen Pervez Musharraf. “These people will neither be allowed to rejoin their previous parties, nor the masses will accept them because they have supported dictatorship,” he said.

PML-N information secretary Ihsan Iqbal refuted government’s claim of economic progress. He claimed that the government had received $40 billion after the 9/11 but it did not utilise the amount for welfare of people.

He claimed that during the Nawaz Sharif government, wheat flour was available at Rs5 per kilogramme but now it was being sold for Rs16 per kilogramme. Similarly, he added, the price of petrol had been increased from Rs20 per litre to Rs60 per litre and prices of other commodities had also been increased manifold.

“The government has failed to achieve economic progress and whatever is being claimed by the country’s economic managers is jugglery of words,” he said.

Former NWFP chief minister Sardar Mahtab said Pakistan was a fortress of Islam and the “real Leaguers” wanted to protect it from usurpers.

Provincial PML-N president Pir Sabir Shah said the country was passing through a difficult phase and hoped that the situation would improve when democracy would be restored in the country.