The new Federal Law Minister Zahid Hamid Khan returned to his constituency of NA 114, Pasrur on Saturday where a number of events were held in his honour for retaking the coveted portfolio.
Addressing the largest of the gatherings, almost 800 people, in Pasrur, Zahid Hamid said the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) needed to be united at the local level and called for nominating a single chairman and vice chairman on behalf of all 26 members of Pasrur Municipal Committee, all of which, he said had joined PML-N.
Hamid said they had assured PML-N leader Khawaja Asif of their support for whoever he chose for the district chairman and vice chairman slots, adding that he wanted similar unity at the local level.
Earlier, the event, which had been scheduled for 4pm started after an hour’s delay as Hamid had been visiting his constituency since morning attending various events held to celebrate his re-taking over of the law ministry.
He had started in Oora and then went to Sayedaan Wali, Bajra Gari, Phalora, Thro Mandi, Chawinda and Sabal Pur etc. At some places, it was barely more than a handful of cheering people, or a few vehicles waiting to join up with the law minister’s caravan while at other places it was a full blown reception. Zahid Hamid also addressed a gathering at Thro Mandi.
He was accompanied by his son and PML-N Youth Wing Overseas President Ali Zahid Khan, MPA Rana Afzal Advocate, Chawinda UC Chairman Ahsan Bajwa, Jassoran UC Chairman Rana Asif, Talwandi Anayat Khan UC Chairman Imtiaz Gill, Ban Bajwa UC Chairman Aslam Nawab, the Pasrur Bar Association president and general secretary among other elected representatives and party officials.
As the event in Pasrur started, stage secretary Toseef Ahmed Butt said that Zahid Hamid had said during a programme in the constituency the week before that no matter when an event starts, by the time it is his turn to speak, it is always time for maghrib’s azaan (call for evening prayer), so they would be going through the proceedings fairly quickly to avoid a similar occurrence.
This is the third time Zahid Hamid has been given the law ministry.
LOCAL DIVISIONS:
A number of local party leaders and elected representatives spoke on the occasion. They assured Hamid and PML-N of their full support. Chawinda Nazim Ahsan Bajwa said those trying to pull Zahid Hamid’s leg would eventually be defeated.
The 800-strong crowd remained quiet most of the time, applauding the speeches sparingly. They would applaud a good verse or if someone talked about development projects in the constituency, but not much else was cheered.
MPA Rana Afzal lamented that not a lot of slogans had been raised for the party and its central leadership. A few lukewarm chants of Pakistan Muslim League zinda baad and Nawaz Sharif zinda baad followed.
Afzal said that while Law Minister Zahid Hamid always advised them not to air their dirty laundry in public, he had to say that some of the party’s leaders were not constructive in their approach to politics.
Referring to the other MPA of PML-N in Zahid Hamid’s constituency, Munawar Gill, Afzal said, without mentioning his name that it was unfortunate that they had been allowed to pick up PML-N’s candidates during the local government elections of 2015. He said the people of Pasrur loved Nawaz Sharif but they could not put up with the candidates approved by the other PML-N leader. That is why, he said, a lot of the PML-N’s candidates lost to independents during the polls. However, he was happy that the winning candidates had joined PML-N.
As Zahid Hamid took his place at the podium, it was time for maghrib prayer. Hamid started going through the list of development works that had been completed or approved in the constituency, but said it would take too long to mention all the projects and some people will not be happy if a development project they care about does not get mentioned. He said that while some of the roads had been completed others like the Pasrur-Sialkot road, the Pasrur Daska road and the Satrah road had been approved and work on these would start by July.
The crowd which had remained hushed during most of the event gave signs of life during Zahid Hamid’s speech. As he raised slogans of Pakistan Muslim League and Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, the response of the audience was almost full-throated.
DSP Asad Ishaq said they had called in police personnel from six other police stations to provide security. He said that more than 100 police personnel and one mobile of Elite Force had handled security throughout the day. When asked why there was a walkthrough gate only at the Pasrur venue, he said there was only one walkthrough gate in the entire district and he had arranged for it to be installed in Pasrur.
