Pakistan

Christian protesters bar PM Nawaz from inaugurating Multan-Faisalabad Motorway

Protesting community blocked roads near Nawaz's Jati Umra Raiwind residence

Abdul Manan March 16, 2015

PHOTO: AFP

GOJRA: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was unable to attend the inauguration of Multan-Faisalabad Motorway project in Gojra on Monday as Christians protesting against the church attacks blocked his route.

Christian protestors blocked roads in Lahore, including those to Raiwind, where the premier’s residence is located to protest against twin Taliban suicide bombings of churches that killed 14 people.

Read: Christians protest countrywide over deadly church attacks

Earlier, it was said the premier cancelled his flight to Gojra owing to bad weather conditions. However, the prime minister’s staff told media he cancelled his visit owing to the protests.

“The protesting community blocked roads near his Jati Umra Raiwind residence which caused his absence,” a senior National Highway Authority (NHA) official said.

Read: 14 dead, 75 injured in attack on Lahore’s Christian community

The acting Punjab Governor Rana Iqbal had to inaugurate the motorway in the premier’s absence.

Further, it is reported, the Christian community in Gojra had also announced to protest on the prime minister’s arrival.

“We spent Rs3 million to arrange the inauguration ceremony but it has gone to waste as PM Nawaz could not reach,” the official added.

The 236-kilometer Multan-Faisalabad Motorway will connect South Punjab with Islamabad.

The project cost a total of Rs963 million.

The 236-km long Multan-Faisalabad Motorway will be facilitating the people of South Punjab who usually travel from Multan to Islamabad either through GT Road from Jhang, Shor Kot or approach the Motorway from Lahore.

According to government’s future strategy, Multan-Faisalabad Motorway will also be connecting Lahore-Karachi Motorway in a few years.

Later in the day, dissenting Christians also surrounded former Punjab law minister Rana Sanaullah's car when he arrived in Faisalabad to hear their concerns. The protesters did not allow the former minister get out of his car.

COMMENTS (45)

zara | 9 years ago | Reply @raider: nawaz's english aint that bad though he is a terrible leader. N i dont think project is bad. Not supporting nawaz. N roads are a backbone to the economy development.

raider | 9 years ago | Reply @Gramscian: Son of English man has the right to admonish as one makes a mistake in English grammar and composition

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raider | 9 years ago | Reply @Ebaad: i use to enjoy comments of this man, dont mind he can not help weaping at misrable plight of his cerebrum, to him Nawaz Sharif is great leader after Weinstein Churchill but parchi and translator is needed everywhere to modulate his ideas for the welfare of humanity

Ebaad | 9 years ago | Reply @H Chaudhry: I cannot believe this, this has to be the height of insanity. You actually tried to prove Motorway as a basic need in context of Maslow's hierarchy of needs. If ever ET is to give an award for the most absurd comment EVER, this post of yours wins hands down.

raider | 9 years ago | Reply @sabi: plz be dispassionate while you are commenting at any liberal forum like ET, I am censured time and again but i never mind, infrastructure like roads and bridges are not bad but at the expense of pre-requisites of life of common peoples is not a good thing, why peoples will be ashamed of while travelling on infrastructures merely constructed by their own money rather by legacy of father of anyone else

raider | 9 years ago | Reply @H Chaudhry: thank you for your lecture, hardly find time to comment, spin master takes U turn as and when required, a jack of all trades admonishes others looks clumsy, at least tell me in which field you are master, trolling, economic, politics or other anything else, i find similar comments from your good ID

Rizwan | 9 years ago | Reply @I am a Khan: I Imagine that if a British terrorist blew up bombs and killed 15 Muslims, then the people of UK might not actually be so angered if Muslims shut down an inauguration ceremony in protest. Look what happened in USA, when a black man was shot in Missouri, and protestors shut down freeways in Los Angeles - there was not a huge backlash against the protestors at all because people understood why they were protesting. And that was just one questionably-innocent man shot on a street in odd circumstances. These were 15 positively innocent people praying in a church.

a&a | 9 years ago | Reply Very hungry PM eating grass.. .........

Blithe | 9 years ago | Reply @MA: Pathetic miscreants of D Chowk still cannot accept that their village idiot leader Imran khan got married and didn't continue the ecstasy concert ..

H Chaudhry | 9 years ago | Reply and for people thinking NS is ceremonial, PMLN just won another by election with a heavy majority. Sorry but mainland Punjab was, is and will always be a PMLN fortress because NS/SS do deliver better than others.

sabi | 9 years ago | Reply @raider: @MA: I can feel your pain for losing twice against democracy-2013 Elections and 14 August 2014. If you have teachers like Auriy Maqbool Jan, Mubashar Luqman ,Hawaldar Danish, Shahid Massod,Sheikh Rashid then, results are obvious- never ending frustrations and extreme confusions which naturally result in bad mouthing and zero logic. You must not be feeling a bit of shame for criticizing the importance of modern infrastructure while travelling on these motorways or bridges at the same time, for I assume people like you take things for granted which obviously are not. Your egos are dangerously hurt but who to blame-You asked for it.

H Chaudhry | 9 years ago | Reply @raider I have no clue what you wrote! but I guess you are ranting about something to do with Musharraf or may be thinking NS is cornered. In any case, NS is NOT going anywhere, it is not NS fault that Churches are attacked but fault of every one including Army, Judciary, People who have let this menace of hate grow this much. For others who are calling NS a ceremonia PM, again, they are either stupid or ignorant. Finally @MA, yes what you wrote is correct but you lack basic knowledge of economics or too ignorant to understand how economies work. Sorry the ranting of no healthcare, no education but build motorways is as stupid as it gets. Try to understand Maslow theory and plug it in to our society. Motorway is not just a road, it is basis of communications and movement of goods. The goods reach consumers fast every one wins. It is basis of saving time and time is money, students reaching schools, general population reaching their workplaces quickly and cheaply translates in to productivity. So either try to understand why nations during building time periods take on infrastructure and role of infrastructure in expansion of an economy or keep quite and not make fool of yourself.

zara | 9 years ago | Reply @Gramscian: sometimes when you are sleepy , you do end up making such mistakes. And honestly, writing short succinct comments that pack a punch in two lines is way harder than writing feet long essays,but thats only for me Anyways, back to topic: "We spent Rs3 million to arrange the inauguration ceremony but it has gone to waste as PM Nawaz could not reach,” the official added." 3milliom on inauguration. Omg. Thats just mammoth.

Gramscian | 9 years ago | Reply @raider: Are you sure what you wrote? What does it mean? You need English composition classes, mate. That too on urgent basis.

IMTIAZ | 9 years ago | Reply Pakistan is not a rich country and spending money Rs.3 million just for inauguration is totally lavish and waste.

raider | 9 years ago | Reply @H Chaudhry: dhrnas has gone elsewhere. now proponents of sanity so called narrative “Imran have an sagacity go ahead let this all to be past event” now not letting dhranas and sticking it day and night even dhrnas which has been nightmare for you and your boss and had deleterious effects on status quo, has been cornered even not bit talk about Musharraf

Anarchist | 9 years ago | Reply @Ch. Allah Daad: He is so kind and benevolent that he has plundered national treasure with a religious fervour. Your king can run to Saudi on minutes notice when called upon by his real master, but does not have the courtesy to visit his own people after a tragedy? And you still are not tired of singing his praises. Pathetic darbari attitude.

MA | 9 years ago | Reply In a country where over 50% population lives below poverty level, unemployment amongst youth remains high, corruption is rampant, terrorism has become a norm, violation of human rights is a standard practice, minorities are being perished in the name of religion, private properties are being forcefully occupied, theft and rape is a daily routine, justice is scarce and denied, murderers are encouraged; no wonder country has become a laughing stock in the whole world, still some fools think building roads and skyscrapers could somehow bring prosperity to the country. This demonstrates PML-N & PPP tattuus are as dumb as their govts who has zilch clue about getting their priorities right.

Nadeem | 9 years ago | Reply Instead the Rs. 3M could have gone to underprivileged countrymen. We have plenty of them. Why wasting this money only for an inauguration ceremony. This is hard earned money of Pakistani nation which is surviving on international loans. Such uncalled for expenses should be totally banned.

Hatim | 9 years ago | Reply @Ch. Allah Daad "His people"?? What is he? A king? Pathetic!

H Chaudhry | 9 years ago | Reply People calling NS a ceremonia PM are either stupid or ignorant. Regardless, the nation is at war with terrorists and the biggest of them are who give terrorists political voice by starting dharnas etc right after a War is launched on terrorists. Thanks Imran for this carnage.

raider | 9 years ago | Reply @sabi: We cannot stop any one for building castles in the air, fool’s paradise was made for peoples of hue like you, we will not let you keep nation deprived of their basic right and to nurture peoples like you and your thugs cronies growing fate on illegal patronage with you as I could have been able to extract from your comments

Siraj Ahmed | 9 years ago | Reply What's the point of protesting against PM, when he is just a nominal PM? The real ruler of this country is the establishment.

Junaid | 9 years ago | Reply @Nida: He is doing a lot. Much more than those in past. This vandalism in the name of protest should be finished.

the Skunk | 9 years ago | Reply @MA: Please.......do not boot-lick a ceremonial PM who has nothing left but the monetary interest of his family. The rest of Pakistanis can go fly a kite where he is concerned. Salams Bravo! Viva! Mubarak ho! Excellent job Christian fraternity. Well done. Salams

Ch. Allah Daad | 9 years ago | Reply Prime Minister could have flown or used force to reach inauguration spot but he himself wanted the world to know plight of our minorities. This is another proof of his kindness and love for his people.

Nadeem | 9 years ago | Reply @sabi Very funny...Nawaz sharif and stay for "many many" years to come. How many "many many" years he needs to prove that he can or cannot lead the country? Malik Riaz is a far better choice to lead this nation if it needed a builder. Country is being run in credit cards, for crying out loud. Making minimum payments to get more credit. And 30 million spent on opening ceremony??? Says it all,,,,

raider | 9 years ago | Reply @Pakistani: your pm can not speak a word without a purchi, he has zero command on English and internationally geo-strategic vision, colonel kazafi and Saudi royal always made building and roads but in gross zero development and peoples considered then as abusive rulers in spite of level their best to appease the masses

Nabeell | 9 years ago | Reply @Pakistani: Dont know why you guys drag ImranKhan every where!! is that all that you have? For your poor information IK is busy inaugurating Mini hydel projects total of 350 out of which 3 are now operational are started producing 120MG, Billion Tree Campaign and cherry on top is "Sehat ka Itehad". Stop dragging IK everywhere as it will make more sense if you can justify 3M spent on inaugurating a project.

Nida | 9 years ago | Reply Well Done my christian brothers. You did as needed to be done. This shameless pm is busy with his stupid affairs and not paying attention where needed.

Hatim | 9 years ago | Reply 3 million taxpayer rupees for an opening ceremony in a country where children are dying of hunger? No words.

Haroon | 9 years ago | Reply 'We spent Rs3 million to arrange the inauguration ceremony..:' Why so much tax payer money spent on an inauguration ceremony?

sabi | 9 years ago | Reply @MA: You just bother about deserted revolution thugs depriving you of your common sense. NS is going to stay for many many years to come with full public support.Majority likes him because he is building modern Pakistan.

Omer Aslam | 9 years ago | Reply @ Pakistani How Khan sahab makes judicial commision. One government intentions are not clean, why putting fingers on IK ?

I am a Khan | 9 years ago | Reply Imagine if the news read that 'Muslims in Britain bar PM Cameron from inaugurating new London to Birmingham motorway due to the daily backlash they receive' There would be thousands of hate comments against muslims and the commenters would even drag islam into it. But now its Christians in Pakistan, so no one is going to speak against Christianity....hmmmm...I see some real double standards....

Nadeem | 9 years ago | Reply The role of a PM or a head of a state is not to inaugurate freeways but to act as a guardian of the masses. The photo ops are a curse to our society and even worse are those people who accept and defend these meaningless so called " acheivements". Get to work Mr. PM, address the law and order situation in Karachi, appoint people with the right credentials at positions that are important not your kith and kin. This is the third time that you have been given the opportunity to lead this beleaguered nation. So make good use of your time.

Shakil | 9 years ago | Reply These are the people he should be visiting today not an already-completed Motorway since month thats not opened to public only because PM has to do photo session to market himself first.

Kaleem Ullah | 9 years ago | Reply @MA: Churning out bridges and roads, where aliens will travel, right? Please realize roads and bridges are not luxuries, these are basic infrastructure needs of every society.

someone | 9 years ago | Reply We spent Rs3 million to arrange the inauguration ceremony but it has gone to waste as PM Nawaz could not reach line says it all!

Rex Minor | 9 years ago | Reply @Pakistani: I would'nt be proud in your place and having a Prime Minister who has no feelings for the loss of life in the country and a jigolo oppositon leader who has run out of real politics? Pakistan should declare a state of mourning for one week and declare the blesphamic laws against christians null and void and allow the return of IDP's to their dwellings, returning its khakis into camps- The community leaders should commence a process of reconciliation to restore peace in the land. Rex Minor

azmat | 9 years ago | Reply @Pakistani: How did you assume that MA is a PTI supporter. he may have been just other sane Pakistani having serious doubts about the intellectual levels of our beloved PM. Or is it only the PTI supporters who have doubts :))). To me the PM is not a fool - a person who can transform a whole nation in to monkeys can not be a fool. Even if he did it on the strength of his pocket, he is still a genius, although an evil one.

Salman | 9 years ago | Reply 30 million rupees just for an inaugural ceremony of a poor country? can anyone enlighten me what 30 million was to be used for other than food and drink? is this the way the elite of this country spends tax payer's money?

Parvez | 9 years ago | Reply The PM was lucky........he does not deserve to get off so lightly.

Pakistani | 9 years ago | Reply @MA: and what people like you................do? just criticise, without even considering the content. Can you give some advice or suggestions to better the project under discussion. Talking about, the intelligence level of incumbent, however low it may be, is still far higher than that of khan sb, who is still babling for the judicial commission and havent achieve it in past two years.

MA | 9 years ago | Reply A ceremonial prime minister deserted by public is only left for 'opening ceremonies'. This exhibits incumbent's intelligence level. Whilst the whole country is burning govt is busy skimming loans from central and private banks & churning out bridges and roads. A medieval govt with likewise aptitude.

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