Nawaz says judges at Zardari's mercy want to disqualify him

London, Feb. 5 (ANI): Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) chief Nawaz Sharif has said that judges who are at the mercy of President Asif Ali Zardari are trying to disqualify him and his brother Shahbaz Sharif from contesting the elections.

Addressing a press conference on Wednesday, Sharif blamed the PPP government for not fulfilling its promise to restore the free judiciary in Pakistan, The Nation reported."What treatment the courts which were set-up by former President Musharraf want to mete out to us, which are at the mercy of Asif Ali Zardari. These are the courts, which had declared a military dictator qualified to contest the election for the post of president in uniform against the constitution. This judiciary is now out to disqualify Shahbaz Sharif and me," he said.

The former prime minister said his nomination papers were rejected under the Musharraf regime too and the situation remains same during Zardari's rule.

"People had mandated PPP for a change but the situation had not been changed. The 17th amendment is still there in the constitution and not a single clause of charter of democracy has been implemented," he said.

"PPP respected our mandate and we respected PPP mandate after the elections and formed the governments in collaboration with each other. We had joined hands with PPP hoping that dictatorship would stand eliminated from Pakistan once for all and democratic order and institutions would be restored. But where all these pledges have gone," he said.

Nawaz said that Zardari had signed a pact for restoration of judiciary but PPP appears to have forgotten its promise, adding, Whatever PPP did in the name of judges' reinstatement it didn't consult with PML-N.

"PPP itself struggled hard for reinstatement of deposed judges but judges had not been reinstated. Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto had signed charter of democracy but it had not been implemented. President Asif Ali Zardari singed a pact for restoration of judiciary but it had not been implemented.

Nawaz also advised Zardari to identify his friends and enemies. "None can be a bigger well wisher of Asif Zardari than me who is repeatedly saying to him that PML-N will not support any unconstitutional step for destabilizing his government," he maintained. (ANI)