*Zaeem Qadri lashes out at PTI chairman for destroying the atmosphere of city
Workers of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf led by party’s chief Imran Khan destroyed peaceful atmosphere of Lahore and a few hundred miscreants tried to usurp the basic rights of twelve million citizens of the city, said Punjab government spokesman and assembly member Zaeem Qadri while addressing a crowded press conference on Monday.
Qadri questioned whether Khan will provide bread to the children of those labourers who he deprived of their livelihood. He said that PTI’s violent workers stopped 219 ambulances due to which condition of a number of patients became serious and three persons died due to non-provision of medical treatment on time. He said that PTI goons tortured citizens and traders. He said that old tyres were distributed among PTI workers from the house of the PTI chief on Sunday night for burning on roads the next day. He said that PTI workers ruthlessly tortured children, women and elderly persons at seven places including Lalik Chowk. Qadri said that the PTI workers looted eatables from breakfast shops and supplied to their companions at the Chairing Cross. He said that Lahoris have rejected PTI’s politics by ignoring its lock down call and 20 big markets of the city remained open. He said that PTI Punjab President Ejaz Chaudhry and Lahore President Aleem Khan are mastermind of this terrorism.
Qadri said that the government will take serious action over the violence against people, traders and journalists by PTI workers. He said that deterrent punishment will be awarded to all miscreants in the light of the footages made by media. He said that the High Court should take action under contempt of court against Khan for the violation of Section 144 at the Mall Road. He said that despite unconditional offer of talks by the government, Khan set worst example of stubbornness.
He said that a night earlier, PTI workers threatened vice chancellors of universities on phone to keep their institutions closed but despite that, the ratio of attendance in Government College University, Punjab University, Lahore College for Women University and Kinnaird College University remained more than 90 percent. He said that PTI’s violent workers threatened male and female students and their parents. He said that “education-friendly” attitude of Khan can be well judged from these incidents.
Qadri said that thirteen different incidents took place where journalists were harassed. He warned that Khan should know that media is not his personal property and his workers cannot get telecast statements of their own choice forcibly. He said that elderly persons, children and women were stopped at entry and exit points of the city and government institutions provided them meal. He said that in compliance of the orders of the leadership, thousands of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz workers stayed at homes and demonstrated democratic attitude. He said that Khan should not consider the positive attitude of the government as weakness of the state and should refrain from provoking his workers.
Qadri said that PTI had assured that it will stage protest at 18 places but it did not honour its commitment and staged demonstrations at over 45 places. He said that PTI is not a political but a “terrorist organisation”. Replying to a question, Qadri said that the police have arrested few political workers belonging to both parties after a quarrel broke out between shopkeepers and PTI’s workers at Chungi Amarsidhu and assured that action will be taken against them after registering of an FIR. Qadri said that PTI workers broke screen worth Rs 3.5 hundred thousand by pelting stones at a metro bus which exposes its violent attitude. He said that after detailed decision of Supreme Court, Khan should leave all his activities and play his role according to the mandate in the parliament.