Daily Times

LAHORE: Incarcerated former prime minister Nawaz Sharif has directed his younger brother and PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif to make swift arrangements for an all-party conference to take a unanimous decision on participation in the Azadi March planned by JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman. The three-time former premier said this while talking to Shehbaz Sharif, who called on him on Thursday.

Shehbaz Sharif briefed his brother about his recent meeting with PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari.

According to some reports, the elder Sharif wants his brother to lead the party in the march. However, Shehbaz Sharif reportedly expressed his inability to health reasons. He told his elder brother that doctors had advised him bed rest and thus he would not be able to join the march.

Secretary-General Ahsan Iqbal is expected to perform the job.

Meanwhile, three JUI-F leaders have sent an application to the Punjab home secretary seeking permission for a meeting with incarcerated former prime minister Nawaz Sharif in Kot Lakhpat jail.

These leaders are Maulana Fazlur Rehman, Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haidri and Akram Durrani.

Meanwhile, PML-N spokesperson Maryam Auranzeb refuted a report about Shahbaz-Nawaz jail meeting in which it was claimed that the opposition leader in National Assembly had refused to lead his party in the Azadi march because of his health condition. “This is baseless and propaganda news,” she said and added the PML-N would hold the party meeting soon to discuss the strategy in the wake of JUI-F’s announcement of Oct 27 Azadi march.