LAHORE   -  Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif Thursday directed PML-N leadership to convene joint meeting of its parliamentary parties in the Senate and National Assembly for devising a strategy to counter government’s offensives against the judiciary.

PML-N Quaid also appealed to the nation to come out for defending supremacy and independence of judiciary under attack by the present government.

The nation must unite against forces working to make judiciary hostage for nefarious designs, Nawaz Sharif told the party leaders and workers who met him at Kot Lakhpat Jail yesterday.

Giving details of meeting with the ex-PM, PML-N Information Secretary Marriyum Aurangzeb said that party leadership would meet on Friday (today) for devising workable plan to counter government’s onslaught on the judiciary in shape of references against judges. She said Nawaz Sharif had given message to workers to keep in mind his cause and not to worry about his health.

“I don’t not care about what action may be taken against leaders and workers of the party if they stand up for supremacy and independence of the judiciary. I consider it the most vital duty for every citizen,” Nawaz was quoted as saying.  Marriyum said attack on judges had exposed dictatorial and autocratic mentality of the government. She said it was lamentable that three-time PM who made Pakistan a nuclear power, gave mega projects without a penny of proven corruption and gifted the country CPEC was languishing in jail. She said targeting Nawaz Sharif who served the country honestly with hard work and dedication was the worst political victimisation in history of the country. The jail had failed to weaken his determination to stand for the rights of the people and sanctity of vote, she said, adding, parliament and other institutions were being crippled. She said incompetent and compulsive liar PM had cut national growth in half, tripled national debt and forced people to queue up for one Kg of basic food items.

“He (PM) speaks without thinking that he had hired 38 spokespersons to defend the tsunami of lies of his government,” she said.

PML-N Punjab Information Secretary Azma Zahid Bokhari said that Nawaz Sharif warned the government to stop targeting upright judges. Ex-PM conveyed to parliamentarians to expose real motives behind the vicious campaign against honest judges, she said, adding, he (Nawaz) looked tired and sleepless due to angina pain for few days. Besides, she said, he was suffering from sore throat.  She said that Nawaz also urged the opposition parties to come up with a decisive programme, whether it was a movement or protests in and outside the parliament. Nawaz asked party leaders to activate lawyers wings, hold meetings with the bar associations to chalk out a strategy, she said. Nawaz said he was in jail at the age of 70 because of some judges but imprisonment could not contain his resilience and commitment to guard national interest, supremacy of the constitution and judiciary, she said.