PML-N’s Pindi lions finally roar

Hundreds rally backing Nawaz, criticise PTI and JIT

RAWALPINDI: A day after the Supreme Court disqualified former prime minister Nawaz Sharif in the Panama Papers case, scores of supporters, workers and local leaders of the ruling the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) staged a rally in Rawalpindi on Saturday evening to express solidarity with the ousted premier.

The rally on Murree Road was led by Rawalpindi Mayor Sardar Nasim along with former members of National Assembly Malik Shakeel Awan, Hanif Abbasi, sitting MNA Tahira Aurangzeb, MPAs Malik Iftikhar Ahmed, Zaibun Nisa Awan, former MPAs Ziaullah Shah, Lubna Rehan Pirzada and Tehsin Fawad. They were joined by Muslim Students Federation Punjab General Secretary Maqbool Ahmad Khan, along with members of the federation Yasir Butt, Javed Mughal. Traders Shahid Ghafoor Paracha, Bilal alias Lali, Rahat Qadoosi, Yasmin Tahir, Riffat Abbasi and Zahida Kazmi also joined the rally. Hamza Shehbaz Force Rawalpindi President Rashid Gulfaraz Abbasi also participated in the rally.



The workers, numbering around 3,000, held aloft party flags, along with placards and banners with portraits of Nawaz, Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz, former interior minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan and Maryam Nawaz.

They chanted slogans in favour of their leaders and against Awami Muslim League (AML) chief Sheikh Rashid Ahmed and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan.

For the larger part, they raised the slogan “down with JIT”, referring to the Joint Investigation Team formed by the SC which had unearthed evidence leading to the disqualification of Nawaz.

The rally started from Liaquat Bagh and culminated at Faizabad where PML-N leaders addressed workers and pledged their support to Nawaz.

As the rally made its way through the city, several small and large groups of PML-N supporters joined it at Committee Chowk, Waris Khan, Banni, Naz Cinema, Chandni Chowk, Sixth Road and Seventh Road, swelling the size of the rally.

Local PML-N leaders said that Nawaz lived in the hearts of Pakistani people and that nobody could oust him. They added that the once three-time premier had brought a great change in the lives of the poor.Mayor Nasim noted that now a process for declaring politicians as ‘sadiq’ (sagacious) and ‘ameen’ (trustworthy) had started, PTI leaders such as Imran and Jahangir Tareen should pack their bags since the Supreme Court and the Election Commission could oust them at any moment.



He also challenged the AML chief to come to Murree Road and face Nawaz’s supporters. The former MNA also warned Ahmed over the drug allegations levelled against Abbasi. Ahmed has been sued by Abbasi for defamation.

Traffic logjam

The massive rally on Murree Road created a massive traffic jam in the city. All the business centres, shopping malls, plazas and markets were also closed due to the rally.  Meanwhile, City Police Officer (CPO) Israr Ahmed Khan Abbasi directed police to undertake special security arrangements for the rally participants.

Traffic wardens were also deployed to ease the traffic mess.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 30^th, 2017