LAHORE, May 27: A day after the PML-N released an alleged phone tape implicating PML-Q leaders in a plot against the Sharif brothers’ candidature in the coming by-elections, the former ruling party has made public the recording of a couple of threatening phone calls allegedly made to a candidate contesting against former chief minister Shahbaz Sharif.

Naeem Shahzad, an independent candidate for a provincial assembly seat in Lahore, said at a press conference that he had recorded the calls made to his cellphone on Monday, but he had been harassed for several days. He was accompanied by Punjab PML-Q secretary-general Chaudhry Zaheer and former law minister Basharat Raja.

A recording of the calls was also played on the occasion.

Sources said Mr Shahzad had not approached police to seek protection or taken legal action on the matter, but had sought the help of some rivals of the Sharif brothers.

The tape released by the PML-N on Monday allegedly contained a conversation between PML-Q leader Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi and an unidentified man about a plan involving PCO judges for rejection of nomination papers of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and Shahbaz Sharif. Chaudhry Zaheer termed it a ‘drama’ aimed at bringing the judiciary under pressure at a time when it was hearing objections to the Sharif brothers’ nomination papers. He cited the example of the Mehran Bank tape scandal of the 1990s, saying that it was also used for character assassination of political rivals.

Raja Basharat said fabrication of such a tape was not difficult with latest gadgets and editing of conversations of different occasions.

He alleged that PML-Q’s candidates for various seats in Bhakkar, Rawalpindi and Lahore were being harassed and forced to withdraw their nominations.

He said the Sharif brothers were claiming to be part of the electoral process, while on the other hand they were refusing to appear before election tribunals and saying that civil society would represent them.

In reply to a question, he said withdrawal of objections by a candidate didn’t mean that the respondent couldn’t be disqualified.

He claimed that if the papers of a candidate for one constituency were rejected, he would stand disqualified for all constituencies.

He alleged that PML-Q candidate Ikhlaq Ahmed Guddoo had withdrawn from the contest against the PML-N chief under pressure.