Shahbaz ready to return, face trial

Published June 27, 2003

ISLAMABAD, June 26: Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) President Mian Shahbaz Sharif on Thursday asked the government to make arrangements for his return to the country and said he was prepared to face a murder case filed by the regime against him.

Talking to PML-N office-bearers on telephone from New York, the former Punjab chief minister said: “I am fully prepared to return and face the case, hence the rulers should themselves arrange my return. If they allow me today, I will be in Pakistan tomorrow.”

Referring to the registration of a murder case against him in an anti-terrorism court, Mr Sharif claimed that the police investigators had exonerated him of the charge.

He said the reopening of the case was a “discriminatory, unjust and vindictive action” and it proved that the ruling clique was afraid of him.

He ruled out any possibility of reconciliation with the PML (Quaid-i-Azam).

He said the PML-Q was a “puppet organization” while the PML-N lived in the hearts of the people.

He said people loved the PML-N as it had conducted nuclear tests and tried to resolve the Kashmir dispute.

He said the PML-Q would be eliminated with the removal of the cover of the Legal Framework Order.

The PML-N president paid tribute to the party’s workers and leaders for their steadfastness and courage in enduring the oppression of the “unconstitutional government” of President Gen Pervez Musharraf.