LAHORE: Workers of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) expressed their disappointment over the final verdict of Supreme Court on Panama Case, and staged protests in Lahore and other cities of Punjab on Friday.
Lahore, which is considered as the political hub of both PML-N and PTI, witnessed PML-N workers expressing their extreme anger. Rejecting the Supreme Court verdict, they said that the decision was a judicial martial law against the elected government.
Prior to the verdict, PML-N supporters, especially the union councilors and office bearers, started gathering in their union councils and local leader offices. However, soon after the verdict was announced against Nawaz Sharif, they started raising slogans against the Supreme Court.
In Lahore, PML-N workers came out on roads and protested at Regal Chowk at Mall Road, a few yards away from the Provincial Assembly. They were carrying party flags and placards, calling the disqualification unacceptable.
The area of Regal Chowk falls under the constituency of Nawaz Sharif, where the first protest was demonstrated by MPA Majid Zahoor who came out with other supporters. Even though a strong protest was expected from the constituency, Majid Zahoor only managed to bring out less than 100 workers whereas MPA Bilal Yasin was accompanied by a few dozen protestors.
The saddened PML-N workers set tires on fire near Ferozpur Road and Shahdra Chowk and blocked the road for any kind of traffic. They were chanting slogans against the apex court and maintained that a biased verdict was announced by Supreme Court. They were criticising the judges, saying that the SC dragged the Nawaz Sharif on order of “secret hands”.
The protesters also blocked the road near Data Darbar and torched tyres. The workers took to streets holding placards and banners inscribed with slogans in favour of Nawaz Sharif. Youth wing president Rana Riasat Ali, MPA Ch Shehbaz and MPA Bao Akhtar participated in the rally.
We stand by our leader; the court decision will not affect our loyalty to our leader, said the supporters.
Police have been deployed at several points in the wake of the tense situation. PML-N MNA Malik Afzal Khokhar and MPA Malik Saif Ullah Khokhar have also decided to stage protest along with the workers.
Sources said that protest rally will be held at Thokar Niaz Beg.
Outside Lahore, PML-N workers staged a protest in Gujranwala and blocked the GT Road. Charged protestors also exchanged harsh words with the police and other commuters.
In Multan, the same reaction of PML-N workers was reported where they clashed with PTI workers.
Despite several protests, no untoward incident was reported in the city.
