PML-N gets permission to hold Minar-e-Pakistan rally

LAHORE:

The district administration of Lahore granted permission to the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) to hold a public meeting at the Greater Iqbal Park on Oct 21, where party supremo Nawaz Sharif is scheduled to address supporters upon his return after a span of almost four years.

The three-time former prime minister had reached London in Nov 2019 in an air ambulance to seek medical treatment for multiple diseases after the Lahore High Court (LHC) allowed him to leave Pakistan.

Nawaz was allowed to go abroad for four weeks after his brother and PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif submitted an undertaking in the court assuring Nawaz's return once his health improved.

In the four years that transpired, Nawaz was declared a proclaimed offender in the Al Azizia Steel Mills and Avenfield graft cases for his continuous absence from proceedings.

Read more: PML-N holds power shows ahead of Nawaz’s return

In a statement, the district administration said that the former ruling party had been informed about the terms and conditions for the rally at the park. At the same time, the PML-N was directed to obtain separate permission from the Parks and Horticulture Authority (PHA) ahead of holding the rally.

The PML-N submitted an affidavit to the city administration wherein the former ruling party assured that it would pay the PHA for any kind of damage in the park during the public meeting.

The district administration added that they would remain in close contact with the authorities concerned on matters related to security, flow of traffic and organisers of the public gathering. A traffic plan and traffic advisory will be issued soon to avoid an inconvenience for the public.

Currently, Nawaz is in Saudi Arabia and he will leave for Pakistan via Dubai.

After performing Umrah, the PML-N supremo is expected to reside in Dubai and then fly to Pakistan in a chartered plane on Oct 21 to address a gathering at Minar-e-Pakistan.

Also read: PML-N weighs in on Nawaz’s retaliatory narrative

The Supreme Court had disqualified Nawaz from holding public office in 2017 for not declaring a receivable salary.

The flight carrying Nawaz to Pakistan will be labelled ‘Umeed-e-Pakistan’, which can carry approximately 150 passengers.

The special flight will land in Islamabad from Dubai before proceeding to Lahore, where Nawaz will address the gathering arranged by his party.

Senior PML-N leader Ishaq Dar said there was no chance of Nawaz being arrested upon returning to Pakistan.

He said that transit bail and protective bail would be obtained from the court. "Nawaz Sharif will follow the standard legal procedures."

The former finance minister also said that the PML-N's narrative would be focusing on the economy. "Recovery of the economy is the best revenge."

The former premier will have to get the sentences awarded to him in the two National Accountability Bureau cases suspended upon his return by filing appeals.

He would have to file the appeals all over again, as the Islamabad High Court had thrown out the pleas for his acquittal and nullification of the sentence due to his absconder status.

Even if he gets the convictions in both the cases suspended, the PML-N supremo would also have to take the legal option for protection from arrest till he reaches a court.

Meanwhile, Advocate Amjad Pervaiz said that despite being a proclaimed offender, the PML-N supremo could file an application for protective bail.