PPP, PTI come hard on CM’s visit to Kasur in ‘dark of night’

• Demand resignations of Punjab chief minister Shehbaz Sharif and law minister Rana Sanaullah

LAHORE: The Pakistan People’s Party and the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf on Thursday came hard on Punjab chief minister Shehbaz Sharif’s visit to Kasur in the dark of night.

In a statement, PPP Punjab secretary general Chaudhry Manzoor said that the claimant of good governance in Punjab is now hiding like a thief.

“The city of saint Bulleh Shah is going through a mayhem while he (Shehbaz Sharif) is busy in his acting performance. He visited Kasur like a thief and went back,” said Manzoor.

“The CM’s visit in the dark of night proves that the writ of the government is no more. It is better for him and Punjab law minister Rana Sanaullah to take pity on the nation and tender their resignations forthwith.  The murders of innocent Zainab and 20 other children have failed to awaken the conscience of Shehbaz Sharif,” he added.

He further said that if Shehbaz Sharif remains the chief minister of Punjab, the whole province will become Kasur.

“Shehbaz Sharif is spending the total resources of Punjab in Kasur and he is least bothered about what is happening in other areas of the province,” said Manzoor.

Central leaders of the PTI, including Jehangir Khan Tareen, Abdul Aleem Khan, Chaudhry Mohammad Sarwar, Shoaib Siddiqui, Mian Aslam Iqbal, Zaheer Abbass Khokhar, Shaukat Bhatti also criticised Shehbaz Sharif’s visit to Kasur at night. They said that the so-called ‘Khadim-e-Aalaa’ could not dare to go to Kasur during the day. This has proved that the government has failed to protect the lives and properties of the general public, they said.

The resignations of the Punjab chief minister Shehbaz Sharif and law minister Rana Sanaullah were also demanded by the PTI leaders.

Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday at 5 am had visited the bereaved family of Zainab in Kasur, whose horrific rape and murder shocked the entire country.

Condoling to the family, the CM expressed his grief over the tragic death of the seven-year-old. He also offered fateha for the deceased.

PTI central leaders Jehangir Khan Tareen, Abdul Aleem Khan, Chaudhry Mohammad Sarwar, Shoaib Siddiqui, Mian Aslam Iqbal, Zaheer Abbass Khokhar, Shaukat Bhatti and others visited Kasur later on Thursday and offered their condolences to the victim’s family.

Speaking to the media, the PTI leaders strongly criticised the performance of the Punjab government. They said that the Kasur incident has proved that there is no government in the province. The PTI leaders said that as per the announcement of the PTI chairman Imran Khan, the masses would once again be on the roads on January 18 and ultimately the government will have to go home.

The PTI leaders also called on the families of the protestors who were killed in police firing on Wednesday while protesting against Zainab’s death. They prayed for the departed souls and those injured in the incident.

In a separate development, PTI central Punjab president Abdul Aleem Khan contacted the leaders of different districts of central Punjab and finalised a joint strategy for January 18. He said that Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has lost every right to remain in power. He also said that the whole nation is in a deep sense of grief while the rulers are still busy maligning the courts and the armed forces of the country. Khan also asked the PTI workers to remain ready for the upcoming campaign and leave no stone unturned to kick the corrupt rulers out.