BADIN, Jan 17: Former Prime Minister and president of PML-N, Mohammad Nawaz Sharif, has linked the country’s integrity with reinstatement of deposed judges, including chief justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry.

In a telephonic speech from Lahore to a function in Badin, held to mark the 22nd death anniversary of Fazil Rahu, he praised the Awami Tehrik leader for “struggling against dictatorship”.

He recalled Mr Rahu’s efforts to mobilise political activists for raising awareness among the people about their rights.

Mr Sharif said Fazil Rahu was neither a feudal nor a conventional politician, but he blazed a trail in politics by working with the common man. He said the movement for reinstatement of judges was a national movement, praising Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry for standing up to former president Pervez Musharraf.

Nawaz Sharif called for holding Mr Musharraf accountable.

Former Sindh Governor and PML-N leader Syed Mamnoon Hussain alleged that President Zardari was violating the agreement signed between Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif in 2006. He said, his party believed that the majority party should complete its tenure and warned if the present situation continued, people would take to the streets.

Mr Mamnoon said there was no difference between the past and present governments.

The president of Sindh PML-N, Syed Ghous Ali Shah, urged the people to follow the political ideology of Fazil Rahu, who always fought against injustice, exploitation and for rights of the downtrodden.

He said awareness created by the late leader would always live on.

Awami Tehrik chief Rasool Bux Palijo said Fazil Rahu believed in truth and never misled masses.