Sialvi likely to announce grand protest on Sunday

Sources say the Pir supported PML-N for the sake of Shehbaz, not Nawaz

LAHORE ': Pir Hameed Uddin Sialvi is expected to announce his grand protest against the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz on December 31 as the government is not likely to accept his demand for the resignation of Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah.

“We are forced to take a hardline against the government. The deadline given to the government will expire on Dec 31 and that is when a press conference will be called at Sial Sharif to announce our next line of action,” said Sahibzada Ghulam Nizam uddin Sialvi, while talking to The Express Tribune.

He said Nawaz Sharif and company have to call in supporters from other districts to make their political gatherings successful. “However, our devotees will not go to his rallies. Those who attend his rallies will no more be considered a part of us,” he said.

Another source close to Sialvi said: “It is against Pir Sahib’s ways but a strong protest is being considered against the government to push it to accept their demand about Rana Sanaullah’s resignation.”



He said Sialvi supported the PML-N for the sake of Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif not Nawaz Sharif.  He said Shehbaz wanted to address Sialvi’s concerns but Nawaz had stopped Rana Sanaullah from defusing the situation.

“After Sanaullah took an independent position of confronting Sialvi, Punjab made no serious efforts to address our concerns. This protest will not be anything like our previous conferences,” he added.

Punjab government spokesperson Muhammad Ahmad Khan denied any difference between CM Shehbaz and Nawaz on Sialvi issue. He said Sialvis’s demand is unjustified as Rana Sanaullah has already clarified his position. “Sialvi needs to show some flexibility,” he said, adding that Punjab Government will resolve this issue soon.