Lahore, Mar 13: PML-N president Shahbaz Sharif has said his party leadership could not be intimidated by death threats, adding that and he and his brother Nawaz Sharif were ready to sacrifice their lives a thousand times for the restoration of the judiciary.

He was responding, through a statement, to an Interior Ministry letter delivered to him through the Punjab Government advising him and Nawaz Sharif to avoid public exposure because of a threat to their lives.

Nawaz Sharif had earlier told a British newspaper that some elements in the government had planned to kill him, the Dawn reported.

Shahbaz said the Interior Ministry letter was a part of the same conspiracy (mentioned by Nawaz Sharif). But the PML-N leadership could not be intimidated by such death threats.

Rallies and processions were the right of people and the political leadership had the obligation to remain in close contact with people, he said.

“Our struggle is for a impartial, free and fair judiciary, and to restore the judges who stood up to the challenge and refused to bow before the dictator,” Shahbaz said.

The Interior Ministry letter advised the Sharif brothers to keep distance from suspicious people because of a threat to their lives as indicated by more than one source.

It stated that there was a threat of terrorism during the long march, and terrorists could hit them or people during the procession.

The letter also asked the Punjab Government to provide bulletproof vehicles to the two brothers.

Another direction was to provide four Elite Force vehicles to cover the vehicles of the Sharifs from the front, rear, left and right (during their movement anywhere in the province). And if they insisted on going to public gatherings, the Punjab Government should provide bulletproof podiums for them, the letter said.

Punjab government officials said the Sharif brothers had already been provided with the type of security suggested by the letter. (ANI)