LAHORE, June 18: Former president Pervez Musharraf has demanded the government should conduct an independent inquiry into the murder of journalist Saleem Shahzad.

Speaking at a workers’ convention via video conferencing at Fort Road here on Saturday, he said those involved in the journalist’s murder should be punished. He said the media should not be gagged by such heinous acts.

Criticising the PML-N leadership, Musharraf said Nawaz Sharif lied about his reaching an understanding with the India prime minister to resolve Kashmir issue during his premiership, adding the issue was not even mentioned in the Lahore resolution signed by two premiers.

“Sharif is also misleading the people about the facts on Kargil,” he said.

He said Punjab’s financial health was in a bad shape because of poor governance. He said both the PPP and the PML-N had failed to deliver and the people’s miseries had compounded during their respective rules.

Musharraf said his party, All Pakistan Muslim League, would emerge as third force. He said he would return to Pakistan on March 23 next year and ask the government to refrain from creating hurdles in his party’s activities.

Earlier, police did not allow the APML workers to gather on the venue and dismantled the stage. However, the party workers managed to display screens for the video conferencing.

APML spokesman Fawad Chaudhry also spoke.