Police impound containers to prevent PML-N workers from welcoming Nawaz

LAHORE: The Lahore Police on Wednesday seized a number of heavy vehicles and containers to use them as blockades to prevent workers of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) from reaching Lahore Airport to welcome former premier Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam.

The owners of the containers, which could be seen near Punjab Assembly, Racecourse Police Station, Bund Road and other places, said that the police impounded containers on various pretexts and asked them to park these near police stations in the city.

They said that most of the vehicles seized were carrying construction and other materials, adding that police, traffic police and officials of local administration have set-up pickets at different spots in and around Lahore, including Manga Mandi, Shera Kot, Shafiqabad and on Kasur Road, to seize the containers.

According to sources, the police have seized the containers to place them around important buildings, sensitive installations and residences of the VVIPs. They said that these vehicles and containers have been impounded on orders of the high-ups to block the entry and exit points of the city to prevent Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) workers from other cities to come to Lahore for welcoming Nawaz and Maryam.

The police would also place these containers on roads leading to Lahore Airport.

A police officer, requesting anonymity, said that Lahore is the hometown and stronghold of Nawaz Sharif and a good number of party activists are expected to reach the Lahore Airport, therefore, the police have no other option but to impound vehicles and place them on roads.

On the other hand, the PML-N has finalised a strategy and route for welcoming Nawaz and Maryam.

All the party ticket-holders from across the country have been asked to reach Lahore at the earliest and the party has also formed committees for this purpose.  Former Punjab chief minister Shehbaz Sharif and his son Hamza Shehbaz have been assigned the task to finalise the arrangements for welcoming the former premier and his daughter.