Monday, June 5 2006 10:53 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Dubai: Stepping up efforts to oust Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf, exiled former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has asked people in his country to join hands for establishment of democracy.

"Wake up for your rights, its time to join hands against anti-democratic forces in the country," Sharif was quoted as saying by Gulf News.

He asked workers of his Pakistan Muslim League party to launch a mass contact campaign and make the people of the country realise that they would have to fight for their rights or they would be suppressed more.

"Some 45 per cent of people in Pakistan are living below the poverty level. While the prices of commodities have increased from 200 per cent to 500 per cent and the average income of people has not increased at all since my government was overthrown in 1999," the PML-N chief said.

Sharif, who was sent into exile for 10 years, geared up his political activities after he moved to London from Saudi Arabia, where he signed a joint charter for democracy in Pakistan with another exiled former Pakistani premier Benazir Bhutto.

During his stay in Dubai, he met a number of party leaders from Pakistan and his supporters in the UAE and asked them to prepare for the elections.

"I will be with you before the 2007 elections and no one can stop me," Sharif said. Replying to a question, the former Pakistan Prime Minister said that they [PPP and PML-N] would not let General Pervez Musharref to be elected as president for another term.