Up in arms: Demos throughout the Punjab on PTI’s call
Party workers protest against killing of a PTI worker in Faisalabad.
DG KHAN/MULTAN/FAISALABAD/LAHORE:
Hundreds of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf workers and supporters gathered at GPO Chowk, Liberty Chowk and Lalik Chowk after the party called for protest against the killing of one of their workers, Haq Nawaz, in Faisalabad. By evening, protesters had also blocked the road leading from Thokar to Raiwind.
Demonstrators marched on The Mall at around 4pm. The call for protest came from PTI’s Lawyers Wing. In an hour, hundreds of protesters blocked traffic coming from McLead Road to The Mall. Police blocked traffic on The Mall ahead of GPO Chowk to prevent confrontation.
Shouts of Go Nawaz Go and Qaatil-i-aala Murdabaad rang at GPO Chowk. Protesters also set tyres on fire.
PTI leader and candidate from NA-118 Hamid Zaman said the government had forced the people out on the streets. “It began at Model Town, was repeated at Gujranwala and now in Faisalabad.” He said this all because of the government’s arrogance. The government provoked protesters who had been staging a peaceful protest, he said. “The protest is spreading throughout the country... I don’t think it will stop.”
Protesters gave way to an ambulance but when a bus carrying students of Forman Christian College tried to pass, the protesters stopped it. The students inside the bus started chanting Go Nawaz Go alongside the protesters. Later, Leader of the Opposition Mian Mehmoodur Rasheed arrived at the demonstration.
“Our movement has been stained with blood... this [protest] will not stop till both Nawaz Sharif and Shahbaz Sharif leave.”
Rasheed said Abid Sher Ali, Rana Sanaullah and Pervez Rasheed had conspired against PTI workers. “We will not let this sacrifice go in vain. We will avenge spilt blood.” The PTI’s Punjab chapter has announced Tuesday to be observed as black day. Funeral prayers for the deceased will be held on The Mall at 1pm. Long queue of vehicles were seen at The Mall, Regal Chowk, GPO Chowk, Farid Court Road, Circular Road, Hussain Chowk, Liberty Chowk and Yateem Khana Chowk.
Operations DIG Dr Haider Ashraf told The Express Tribune that they were negotiating with the protesters. “We have asked them to stay calm and not turn violent.”
He said additional police officers had been deployed at all stations of protest to ensure the protesters’ safety.
In Multan, more than 1,100 PTI workers and supporters gathered at Nawan Shehr and Kutchery Chowk and blocked the roads for traffic. PTI district president Ijaz Janjua arrived at the demonstration at Kutchery Chowk and addressed the protesters. Hundreds of lawyers joined the demonstration and the district bar announced to go on strike on Tuesday.
In Sargodha, hundreds of PTI workers and activists staged a sit-in on Sargodha Khushab Road and Sargodha University Road to protest the killing of the PTI worker. The demonstration was led by PTI district president Advocate Mumtaz Kahloon. The protesters chanted slogans against the government and blocked traffic for more than six hours. Kahloon said if the state continued to terrorise PTI workers, they will paralyse routine activities in the entire country.
In DG Khan, dozens of PTI workers gathered at Traffic Chowk and held a demonstration. MPA Sardar Ahmad Ali Dareshak and district women’s wing president Dr Shaheena Najib Khosa were also present. They slammed the government’s decision to resort to violence against the protesters. “Shedding the blood of innocent workers will lead the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz to an early end,” Khosa said.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 9th, 2014.
Hundreds of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf workers and supporters gathered at GPO Chowk, Liberty Chowk and Lalik Chowk after the party called for protest against the killing of one of their workers, Haq Nawaz, in Faisalabad. By evening, protesters had also blocked the road leading from Thokar to Raiwind.
Demonstrators marched on The Mall at around 4pm. The call for protest came from PTI’s Lawyers Wing. In an hour, hundreds of protesters blocked traffic coming from McLead Road to The Mall. Police blocked traffic on The Mall ahead of GPO Chowk to prevent confrontation.
Shouts of Go Nawaz Go and Qaatil-i-aala Murdabaad rang at GPO Chowk. Protesters also set tyres on fire.
PTI leader and candidate from NA-118 Hamid Zaman said the government had forced the people out on the streets. “It began at Model Town, was repeated at Gujranwala and now in Faisalabad.” He said this all because of the government’s arrogance. The government provoked protesters who had been staging a peaceful protest, he said. “The protest is spreading throughout the country... I don’t think it will stop.”
Protesters gave way to an ambulance but when a bus carrying students of Forman Christian College tried to pass, the protesters stopped it. The students inside the bus started chanting Go Nawaz Go alongside the protesters. Later, Leader of the Opposition Mian Mehmoodur Rasheed arrived at the demonstration.
“Our movement has been stained with blood... this [protest] will not stop till both Nawaz Sharif and Shahbaz Sharif leave.”
Rasheed said Abid Sher Ali, Rana Sanaullah and Pervez Rasheed had conspired against PTI workers. “We will not let this sacrifice go in vain. We will avenge spilt blood.” The PTI’s Punjab chapter has announced Tuesday to be observed as black day. Funeral prayers for the deceased will be held on The Mall at 1pm. Long queue of vehicles were seen at The Mall, Regal Chowk, GPO Chowk, Farid Court Road, Circular Road, Hussain Chowk, Liberty Chowk and Yateem Khana Chowk.
Operations DIG Dr Haider Ashraf told The Express Tribune that they were negotiating with the protesters. “We have asked them to stay calm and not turn violent.”
He said additional police officers had been deployed at all stations of protest to ensure the protesters’ safety.
In Multan, more than 1,100 PTI workers and supporters gathered at Nawan Shehr and Kutchery Chowk and blocked the roads for traffic. PTI district president Ijaz Janjua arrived at the demonstration at Kutchery Chowk and addressed the protesters. Hundreds of lawyers joined the demonstration and the district bar announced to go on strike on Tuesday.
In Sargodha, hundreds of PTI workers and activists staged a sit-in on Sargodha Khushab Road and Sargodha University Road to protest the killing of the PTI worker. The demonstration was led by PTI district president Advocate Mumtaz Kahloon. The protesters chanted slogans against the government and blocked traffic for more than six hours. Kahloon said if the state continued to terrorise PTI workers, they will paralyse routine activities in the entire country.
In DG Khan, dozens of PTI workers gathered at Traffic Chowk and held a demonstration. MPA Sardar Ahmad Ali Dareshak and district women’s wing president Dr Shaheena Najib Khosa were also present. They slammed the government’s decision to resort to violence against the protesters. “Shedding the blood of innocent workers will lead the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz to an early end,” Khosa said.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 9th, 2014.