ISLAMABAD, 29 May — Former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was re-elected president of the Pakistan Muslim League, Sharif group, for a three-year term at a convention of the party yesterday.

The PML(N) general council held a convention here to mark the third anniversary of nuclear tests and mobilize support for Sharif to give the flagging party a shot in the arm.

A 3,000-strong gathering of PML (N) activists endorsed Sharif as the party president for another three years. Sharif’s party was sidelined after dissidents formed their own faction led by a former Punjab governor, Mian Azhar. The convention held yesterday was aimed at gauging support for the deposed premier.

A message by Sharif read out at the convention urged the government to take political parties into confidence before entering into a dialogue with India. Sharif, in his message, said he had ordered nuclear tests despite tremendous pressure and opposition from world leaders.

The tests, he said, saved Pakistan and bolstered its image. Sharif said law and order had improved and price hike and unemployment were contained during his tenure.

He said he had raised the salaries of armed forces personnel. The former premier termed the army action on Oct. 12, 1999 illegal and unconstitutional and added that the movement for democracy would ultimately succeed.

The PML general council, at its convention, also approved the appointment of Raja Zafarul Haq as party chairman.

A PML announcement later said more than 175 parliamentarians, with three observers — Illahi Buksh Soomro, Sartaj Aziz and Wasim Sajjad — attended the convention.