Pakistan's Anna Hazare joins PML-N

Social worker Jahangir Akhtar says the economic policies of Nawaz Sharif compelled him to join the party.

ISLAMABAD/ LAHORE: Reposing confidence in the leadership of Nawaz Sharif, local political worker and human rights activist Jahangir Akhtar announced joining Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) on Wednesday.     

Akhtar, while speaking to The Express Tribune said that he decided to join the PML-N because he has faith in Nawaz’s leadership and believes that he can take the country out of the crisis as he is the only mature politician in the country.

The human rights activist listed the reasons why he joined the PML-N which included Nawaz’s positive stance towards Pak-India friendship, his efforts for education for poor people like Danish schools and his support for the Lawyers’ Movement.

Commenting on the politics of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Akhtar said that the PPP is a party of feudal lords and not of politicians.

“One doesn’t become a politician by just being someone’s daughter, son or husband,” Akhtar said. “In my opinion, the only party that can help Pakistan is the PML-N,” he added.

When asked about his anti-corruption movement, Akhtar said that the PML-N has promised him that if the parliamentarians fail to pass the accountability bill, it will unilaterally submit it to the house.

Akhtar also announced that if the bill was not proposed within four days, he will start his hunger strike again.

The current rift between the PPP and the PML-N over the bill, according to Akhtar, is about who should head the commission.

“The PPP wants to appoint retired judge, while on the other hand the PML-N wants to appoint a serving judge,” Akhtar explained.

Earlier while addressing a press conference along with PML-N central leader Senator Zafar Ali Shah at the National Press Club (NPC), Akhtar said that the PML-N leadership played a key role in strengthening democracy and democratic institutions in the country.

Welcoming the participation of Akhtar, Senator Shah said that every political party would like to have workers like Akhtar. He pointed out that Akhtar had been working for the last 40 years for the promotion of democracy and human rights in the federal capital.

The 68 years old former army gunner has spent the better part of his life campaigning for progressive causes and reduction in the defence budget. For his trouble, he was sent to jail for a year along with 10 lashes during the military dictatorship of General Ziaul Haq.

PML-N’s Inamullah Niazi quits party

Khan Niazi announced his resignation from PML-N on Wednesday.

Addressing a press conference at Lahore Press Club with his brother Najeebullah Khan Niazi, he said, “I am raising voice against the humiliations and exploitations meted out to the senior leaders of PML-N including Javed Hashmi, Ahsan Iqbal, Tehmina Daultana and others who faced hardships during the dictatorship of Pervez Musharraf.”

He further said that Hashmi’s resignation from the party was the first drop of rain but people would see a tremor in PML-N within a few days.

Inamullah added that Imran Khan was his cousin but he was not going to join Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and he would remain a PML-N worker.

“A few PML-N workers including me, Iqbal and Hashmi faced jails and a lot of problems during the Musharraf regime and presented a decorated PML-N to our leaders but a certain group is trying to ruin the party which has already made another party within the PML-N,” he revealed.

To a question regarding the future of the PTI, he said, “I had informed Mian Nawaz Sharif about the real threat of PTI in London in 2006 but to no avail… Sharif brothers would have to see more threats in the coming weeks if they do not open their eyes.”

[With additional information from APP]