Battle lines drawn as PML-N issues 48 hrs ultimatum to PPP to stop vilifying Sharif

Lahore, Sep 1 (ANI): The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has issued a 48 hours ultimatum to the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) to halt a "malicious" campaign against party chief Nawaz Sharif or be prepared for a forceful response.

"The PML-N is restraining itself for the sake of democracy, or it could have exposed hundreds of corruption stories involving PPP leaders," PML-N Information Secretary Ahsan Iqbal told reporters.

He said all information pointed towards the Presidency being responsible for the disinformation, the Daily Times reported.

He claimed the campaign was launched to divert the public's attention from rental power projects, the Pakistan Steel Mills issue, the sugar scandal and former president Pervez Musharaf's trial.

Iqbal said the PML-N would not allow anyone to distract it from its stated agenda on these issues.

He said a recent Gallup Polls survey had shown that 71 percent of Pakistanis wanted Musharraf tried for sedition and there was no need for a resolution.

Replying to a question on whether the renewed conflict between the PML-N and the PPP could jeopardise the system, Iqbal said his party would continue to fight for the constitution and democracy.

Meanwhile, in a tit-for-tat reply to PML-N's warning that they would respond against the PPP leadership if it did not mend its ways within 48 hours, the PPP leaders said they were not afraid of any ultimatum.

The president's spokesman, Farhatullah Babar, rejected and condemned the attempts to accuse the Presidency of being involved in what has been described as "character assassination" of some political leaders.

"There is no question of the Presidency being behind the resurrection of old accusations against some political leaders," he said.

He said the accusation relating to the distribution of slush funds among politicians some two decades ago were not new and kept popping up every now and then. (ANI)