KARACHI, June 26: The Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) claimed on Tuesday that the PML-N was emerging as one of the most popular parties in Sindh as well as in the country.

Nawaz Sharif, who could not make it to a function held in a hotel here due to bad weather in Lahore, spoke to the gathering by the telephone.

He greeted the Jamote family and their supporters into the party fold, and said the prominent political family having joined the PML-N had turned the tide in the province. He said soon he would visit every nook and cranny of the province.

Sindh PML-N president Syed Ghaus Ali Shah said the country was passing through a difficult phase of its existence and Mr Sharif was striving to uphold political values, and that was why he had refused to accept all leaders of PML factions into the party.

Referring to the prevailing situation in the country, he said Mr Sharif had extended cooperation to the PPP government to save the democratic system and earned the criticism of being a friendly opposition, but when he realised that the government had not only failed to deliver but was even flouting court orders, he withdrew his support.

Liaquat Ali Khan Jatoi alleged that the killers of Benazir Bhutto had occupied the corridors of power through the backdoor and had given the public gifts of corruption, price hike, unemployment and lawlessness.

He said between 10 and 15 people were being killed in Karachi daily proving that there was no governance anywhere. He said if there had been any governance in the province, so many people would not have been killed.

Mushahidullah Khan said an undeclared civil war had been going on in Karachi for some time and during the past over four years of the PPP-led government between 6,000 and 7,000 people had been killed in the city in ethnic and sectarian violence.

He said it was not the Pakistan People’s Party but the ‘Zardari gang’ which had pushed the country to the brink. He said that “the most corrupt person” was made new prime minister, who had amassed a huge wealth during the past four years. Quoting an example, he alleged that Raja Pervez Ashraf had purchased Rs700 million worth of apartment in London in the name of his brother besides a farm worth Rs250 million.

Retired general Abdul Quadir Baloch said the country needed a brave and upright leadership that could resist any sort of pressure.

He said he had resigned as governor because of his differences with the government over the policies pursued in Balochistan and the situation had worsened so much now that everyone was perturbed by the talks of separation in Balochistan. He said it would be the leadership of Mr Sharif that could keep the country united and sort out the issues with his experience and principled politics.

Saleem Zia said the present mandate of Sindh was fake and if the coming elections were fair, a real leadership would emerge in the province. He said his party was against carving a province out of Sindh.

Marvi Memon said the PML-N was the only party which stood for politics of principles and which talked of supremacy of the judiciary, freedom of the press and the rule of law.

Earlier, Shafi Jamote welcomed the guests and announced his decision to join the PML-N with his supporters and friends.