Sharif was offered bribe to accept PCO judiciary: PML (N)

Islamabad, Feb.25 (ANI): Pakistan Muslim League (N) has said that Federal Government had tried to bribe Nawaz Sharif , and asked him to recognise the PCO judiciary.

Talking to mediapersons after a Supreme Court verdict which disqualified former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his brother Shahbaz Sharif from contesting elections, PML (N) leader Pervez Rashid said the government had offered Sharif that if he recognised PCO judiciary, he would be declared eligible for contesting polls and his brother would not be dethroned from Punjab chief minister's chair.

"But the PML (N) downed the offer," The News quoted Rashid, as saying.

A three member Supreme Court bench, headed by Justice Musa K. Laghari, disposed-off the Sharif's electoral eligibility case on Wednesday. This in effect means that Shahbaz Sharif is Punjab Chief Minister.

Furious over the two line verdict, their lawyer, Akram Sheikh, said the decision was not surprising as the judges were only abiding by orders given to them by the Government.

"Sharif brothers were declared ineligible on the orders of President Zardari," Sheikh said.

He said now the people of Pakistan will decide whether the verdict is on merit or not.

Latest reports from Lahore said that PML-N activists have taken to streets in protest against the apex court's decision.

Almost all political parties have voiced their dismay over the verdict.

Commenting on the verdict, Pakistan Muslim League (N) Secretary General Ahsan Iqbal compared Zardari to former President General Pervez Musharraf, and charged him with following the policies of the previous military regime.

"PML (N) would not tolerate a one-man state and Shahbaz Sharif is still the Chief Minister of Punjab constitutionally," Iqbal said.

Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) chief Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain termed it as 'sad' decision, and said that it should not be celebrated by any party.

Former Supreme Court Bar Association President Chaudhry Aitzaz Ahsan termed the decision as a 'biased' verdict. (ANI)