Sharif refused to quit politics in spite of 'death threats from dictator': Pervaiz Rasheed

Lahore, Nov 21 (ANI): Pakistan Muslim League-N chief Nawaz Sharif refused to quit politics even after receiving death threats from a dictator on October 12, 1999, Senator Pervaiz Rasheed has claimed.

In a statement, Rasheed said if Sharif had compromised on serving the people of Pakistan and national politics, he would have never faced imprisonment and exile.

The News quoted the PML-N Senator, as saying that some persons wanted to ban Sharif from politics, but this was far from reality. He claimed that the former premier has never detached himself from politics.

Politicians making claims of a 10-year ban on Sharif were in fact ignoring the reality that the courts, after rejecting all documentary proof from former military ruler Pervez Musharraf, had already declared that his forced exile was against basic human rights, he said.

"If there had been a ban on Nawaz Sharif to take part in national politics, then Pervez Musharraf would have presented its documentary proof before courts instead of making verbal allegations," he added.

He also claimed that Sharif had addressed 37 political meetings countrywide for a campaign of his party during elections after coming back from exile.

"Mian Nawaz Sharif also signed the Bhorban declaration on March 2008, being party head and it was part of the political process," he added.

He further said that Sharif had signed the Charter of Democracy with former premier Benazir Bhutto, which proved a milestone in ending dictatorship in Pakistan.

"It was the result of his political struggle that led to reinstatement of deposed judges after a 'long march,'" he added. (ANI)