Punjab

PML-N leaders gear up for welcome

Nawaz Sharif’s rally will culminate at Data Darbar

Our Correspondent August 12, 2017

Ousted Pakistani prime minister Nawaz Sharif addresses a rally from his bullet-proof container in Rawalpindi on August 9, 2017. Deposed Pakistani prime minister Nawaz Sharif is leading a rally from the capital Islamabad to his home in Lahore, following his ouster by the Supreme Court following a corruption probe. PHOTO: AFP

LAHORE: Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) activists from different districts have joined forces to show their muscle in Lahore, where Nawaz Sharif’s rally will culminate at Data Darbar on Saturday (today).

According to the PML-N, Nawaz’s motorcade will be accompanied by a large crowd from Gujranwala. The rally will move towards Lahore where they will be received by party supporters from Narowal. MNA Mian Rasheed, MPA Rana Manan, Khawaja Waseem Butt, Shujat Ahmad Khan and Narowal District Chairman Ahmad Iqbal will also be in attendance.

District Chairman Ahmad Iqbal will represent Federal Minister and MNA Ahsan Iqbal. A few hundred metres from Narowal reception will be the crowd from Sheikhupura led by MNA Rana Tanveer and his team of MPAs and district government leaders from Sheikhpura, including District Chairman Rana Attique. At Kala Shahu, Nawaz would be received by political leaders from Faisalabad. Near Shahdra Morr, MNA Malik Riaz, along with members from Provincial Minister Khawaja Imran Nazir’s constituency, who is currently out of the country, will welcome the former PM. At Ravi Toll Plaza, the Nawaz will be received by a gathering arranged by MPA Ghazali Butt.

At Batti Chowk, the rally will be greeted by political leaders from Kasur, led by mainly MPAs. Punjab Government Spokesman Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan, along with other MPAs and district government members, led by District Chairman Kasur Rana Sikandar, would also be present on the occasion.

In Lahore, arrangements were made by MNA Khawaja Saad Raffique, Ayaz Sadiq, Malik Pervaiz and MNA Sheikh Rohail Asghar.

District Chairman Kasur Rana Sikandar said party members were unaware of the exact timing of Nawaz’s arrival and did not even know whether Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif would stop for an address. However, he said that the PML-N workers would show up in large numbers to greet their leader.

Similarly, an MNA, while talking to The Express Tribune, said he and other activists would reach their designated point at 10am on Saturday (today).

He said abrupt changes in the plan of the rally have caused stress and trouble for local party leaders. He stated PML-N leaders should have been kept in the loop before making these changes. He added Nawaz’s rally would move very slowly to reach Lahore by mid-day.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 12^th, 2017.