ISLAMABAD: Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif said that Pakistan has beenturned into a prison and that it is time to “break the shackles”, a localmedia outlet *reported link>* on Sunday.

Spread my message across houses, streets, villages. Come out and defeatthose who insult your votes in a way that they will never raise their headsagain,” said Nawaz in an audio message.

It is not yet clear when and where the message was recorded.

He said that it is time for people to end the political games that havebeen played in the country since independence, turning the country into acircus.

The Punjab government has assigned six senior prison officials and a femaledeputy superintendent in addition to four officials for the security ofNawaz and his daughter Maryam respectively.

The duo were arrested upon their return on July 13.

Security has been tightened with Elite force commandos and Rangers.