Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif - File Photo

LAHORE: As ‘natural’ allies have already expressed disappointment at its solo flight against the PPP government, the PML-N has shown its willingness to take along other political players in pursuit of dislodging President Asif Ali Zardari.

“The Muslim League-N will welcome cooperation from any person who is ready to support the efforts to get rid of the oppressive and corrupt government,” Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif said here on Tuesday.

He was speaking to the party’s parliamentarians and office-bearers at a meeting held to review arrangements for the Oct 28 rally.

Leader of Opposition in the National Assembly, Chaudhry Nisar Ali, and Senator Pervaiz Rashid also attended the meeting.

Jamaat-i-Islami chief Syed Munawwar Hasan had said the other day that the PML-N had taken a solo flight in the fight against President Zardari and urged it to take on board other parties that were equally against the PPP-led government.

Mr Sharif warned that corruption, plunder and nepotism of the ruling group could cause irreparable damage to the country, calling upon the nation to rise up against their oppressors in order to avert the “impending doom”.

He said people expected that after getting rid of a dictator who had toppled the democratic system, they would get some relief, but the “greed and lust of the person holding the highest office has made their lives miserable”.

“Pakistan’s image at the international level is at stake due to corruption of the ruling class and the nation is being punished for the misdeeds of one individual.”

He said it was unfortunate that instead of merit in appointments to senior posts in the federal government, the criteria was how far the candidate could be helpful in loot and plunder. He said the announcement of the PML-N rally had promoted political awakening and a sense of national responsibility among the Lahorites as well as the party activists and the corridors of power were shaking with the voice of protest being raised from Lahore.

Meanwhile, three former members of the Punjab Assembly — Mian Mumtaz Ahmad, Chaudhry Masood Ahmad from Rahimyar Khan and Chaudhry Saeed Ahmad Gujjar from Sahiwal — joined the PML-N.