No fair polls under emergency rule: Sharif

Lahore, Dec 1: Former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has said that free and fair elections could not be held under the emergency rule and the Provincial Constitutional Order (PCO), and demanded restoration of deposed judges.

Sharif was talking to former Prime Minister of Pakistan Occupied Kashmir and President Peoples Muslim League, Sultan Mahmood Chaudhry, who called on him.

Speaking on the occasion, Sharif said that PML (N) would never compromise on its principles. 'We wanted to contest elections, but under the present circumstances, transparent elections are not possible because of the emergency, sacked judges and curbs on the media. Keeping the current situation in view, the PML-N has taken a decision to boycott these so-called elections, he added.

However, other political parties will also be taken into confidence in this connection, he said.

Sharif paid glowing tributes to the long struggle of lawyers, journalists and political activists.

"I do not want engineered elections, but I desire to see real democracy in Pakistan, and no stone will be left unturned to achieve this goal," he said.

Sultan Chaudhry assured Sharif of his full support for the restoration of real democracy.

ANI>