Pak’s ‘Anna Hazare’ joins Sharif’s PML-N party

Islamabad: Pakistan’s human rights activist Jahangir Akhtar has joined the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party.

Pakistan’s self-claimed Anna Hazare said the PML-N has played a significant role in strengthening democracy and democratic institutions in the country.

“Mian Nawaz Sharif is the only mature politician in the country who served as prime minister of the country and chief minister of Punjab province twice. I have strong faith in his leadership and believe that he can take the country out of the crisis,” The Daily Times quoted Akhtar as saying.

Akhtar said Sharif’s positive stance on India-Pak friendship, efforts for educating poor people and his support for the Lawyers’ Movement inspired him to join the PML-N.

Akhtar called on the Pakistan government to increase allocation in the budget for education by 10 per cent and reduce the outlay for defence by the same figure.

He said the PML-N had promised him that if the parliamentarians failed to pass the accountability bill, it would unilaterally submit it to the House.

Akhtar also warned to resume his hunger strike if the bill was not proposed within four days.

He slammed the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) as a party of feudal lords rather than politicians.

Akhtar also said that the PPP and PML-N are currently at loggerheads over who would head the commission regarding the bill.

“The PPP wants to appoint retired judge while PML-N wants to appoint a serving judge,” Akhtar added.