Lahore reacts following SC's Panamagate verdict

Police deployed across city to maintain traffic flow and protect against property damage

Dwellers of Lahore city have expressed mixed reactions over the Supreme Court (SC) verdict in the Panama case by distributing sweets and burning tires on main city roads on Friday.

Workers and supporters of both opposition and ruling parties took to the street to either condemn or celebrate the apex court decision in which former prime minister Nawaz Sharif had been disqualified for hiding his real assets values.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) workers and supporters celebrated the SCP decision by distributing sweets and dancing on drum beats. A large number of PTI workers, including women, gathered here at PTI Chairman’s Secretariat in Garden Town and various other areas in the city to celebrate victory in the Panama case. PTI workers were holding party flags and portraits of the party Chairman Imran Khan, while chanting slogans in favour of their leaders and the apex court.

A PTI supporter dancing on a road following Panamagate verdict. PHOTO IZHAR ULLAH

Speaking to The Express Tribune, various PTI workers termed July 28 'independence day'. They said July 28 would always be celebrated as the day of independence because the apex court had made history by disqualifying a corrupt premier. “We believe the process of accountability has been initiated in the country with today’s decision. Now those who are corrupt will not find escape,” the PTI workers said.

As the provincial capital is considered a fortress of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), ministers, MPAs, local government representatives along with party workers took to the streets to register their protest against the historical verdict. PML-N workers blocked major city roads, including Mall Road, roads connecting to Lahore Press Club, Ferozpur Road, Ghari Shahu, Babu Sabhu Interchange, Shahdara Chowk, Data Darbar Chowk and Liberty Chowk, which caused extreme inconvenience to commuters.



A couple of angry PML-N workers also deflated tires of public buses which worsened the situation at Shahdara Chowk.

They condemned the decision and rejected the apex court’s verdict by burning tires and chanting slogans against it. PML-N leaders and workers underlined that the SC could send the premier packing but could not remove him from the hearts of the citizens of Pakistan.

The Supreme Court, on Friday, disqualified Nawaz Sharif as prime minister from holding office in a landmark decision after a corruption probe into his family wealth, cutting short his third stint in power.

The top court five-judge larger bench headed by Justice Asif Saeed Khosa has unanimously disqualified Nawaz for not disclosing his employment in UAE based offshore company Capital FZE.

"He [Nawaz] is no more eligible to be an honest member of the parliament, and he ceases to be holding the office of prime minister," said Judge Ejaz Afzal Khan in court.

The Election Commission of Pakistan was ordered to immediately de-notify Nawaz and the president of Pakistan has been asked to take necessary measures after Nawaz’s disqualification. The SC also ordered filing of reference against Finance Minister Ishaq Dar.

The major opposition party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), also reacted to the much-awaited verdict and said they will offer a prayer of thanks in light of the historic decision taken by the SC.