–Large number of police deployed to monitor security
LAHORE: Shahdara – the first entry point of Lahore situated at the Grand Trunk Road, is all set to receive the ousted Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, who is expected to reach Lahore today, according to the tentative schedule given by the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N).
Arrangements are being finalised by the local leadership of PML-N in the adjacent towns of GT Road, while a huge stage is being established to give a historic reception to Sharif at Shahdara Interchange. Nawaz Sharif addressed a large public gathering at Jehlum on Thursday, during his march towards Lahore where Railways Minister Khawaja Saad Rafique announced that Sharif will spend the night in Jehlum and his convoy will leave for Lahore on Friday morning.
As per the earlier plan announced by the PML-N, Nawaz Sharif will reach Lahore today but it is expected that it will take him a day more to reach Lahore as Sharif is scheduled to make a stopover in Gujranwala, which is considered a massive support base for PML-N, where he will address the workers of the party. Sharif has a close confidant in the area in Khurram Dastgir Khan, who is also the defence minister of the newly formed cabinet. Dastgir has earlier served as minister for trade and commerce in the cabinet of Nawaz Sharif before the ouster of Sharif from public office after his disqualification.
Massive crowd is also expected after Gujranwala, as villages and towns alongside the GT Road, including Aimanabad, Kamonki, Muridkay and Rana Town are also considered strongholds of Sharifs; Federal Minister for Defense Production and an old companion of Nawaz Sharif, Rana Tanveer Hussain also hails from Muridke – a town on the GT Road just 30 KM away from Lahore.
Talking to Pakistan Today, Rana Inam Ilahi, a General Councilor from Shahdara’s Union Council, said that Nawaz Sharif will address at the Shahdara Interchange before his formal entry to Lahore. “We have established a stage with a height of 100 feet and width of 25 feet to welcome our beloved leader,” he said. He further added that a special stage for Sharif’s address will also be established when his convoy will reach Gujranwala, and not before, as it would disrupt the busy traffic of Shahdara Interchange.
The arrangements at Shahdara Interchange are being made by local MNA Malik Riaz who is also a resident of the area. It is worth mentioning here that Lahore CCPO Captain (Retd) Amin Wains, along with Operations DIG Dr Haider Ashraf and CTO Rai Ijaz Ahmed, also visited the Shahdara Interchange to monitor the security arrangements for Nawaz Sharif’s rally. According to Lahore police sources, more than 7,000 officials would be deployed on the route of the rally, once it enters the city, while more than 2,000 traffic wardens would also be deputed to ensure the smooth flow of traffic. A heavy contingency of police has also been deputed at Imamia Colony Railway, crossing the boundary of Lahore and Sheikupura district, from where the Lahore Police will take charge of the rally’s security.
