LAHORE, Sept 4: A ruling PML MNA and some other leaders from Sheikhupura district announced joining of the PML-N at a press conference here on Tuesday.

Punjab PML-N President Sardar Zulfikar Khosa and other leaders were present.

Those who changed their loyalties were MNA Bilal Virk from NA-136, Millat Party’s candidate for NA-118 Inamullah Khan, Rana Tanveer Nasir, who had lost against Abid Chattha from PP-168, and former Sheikhupura district council chairman Mehr Rang Elahi Padhiar.

They told the media that consistency of PML-N leader Nawaz Sharif on his stance against dictatorship had convinced them to submit to his leadership.

Mr Khosa reiterated Mr Sharif’s standpoint that all those ruling coalition members who would choose not to vote for Gen Musharraf in the presidential election were welcome to the PML-N.

Replying to a question regarding arrest of party leaders, he accused the government of violating the Supreme Court’s Aug 23 verdict in which the authorities had been barred from creating any hurdle in the return of the exiled leader.

He said the court was being moved against a police raid at the house of Chaudhry Tanveer and the chief minister as well as the police officials responsible were being made respondents in the writ petition.

He also said the party had set up legal aid committees at the tehsil level to move courts of law in case the government machinery attempted to harass or arrest the PML-N activists to bar them from going to Islamabad for receiving Nawaz Sharif on Sept 10.

Later, Mr Khosa left for Kasur as part of a campaign to mobilise the masses for reception of Mr Sharif. He would also visit Okara, Sahiwal, Pakpattan, Multan, Khanewal, Vehari, Lodhran and other southern Punjab districts. —Staff Reporter