Daily Times

LAHORE: Following the verdict of the Supreme Court in the Panama Papers case, news from the provincial capital, Lahore, which is considered as a stronghold of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), is not good for the ruling party, as only five PML-N lawmakers out of 100 belonging to the provincial capital led protest rallies in the support of Nawaz Sharif.

Those led pro-Nawaz rallies include MNA Afzal Khokhar, provincial ministers Bilal Yasin, Khawaja Salman Rafique, Mujtaba Shujaur Rehman, and legislator Majid Zahoor. Surprisingly, there were not more than three to five dozen workers in each rally.

Moreover, only nine demonstrations were held by the PML-N in different areas of the city, including Regal Chowk, Bhatti Chowk, Thokar Niaz Baig, Lalik Jan Chowk, Lahore Press Club and Garhi Shahu soon after the announcement of the Supreme Court verdict.

The protest demonstration at Thokar Niaz Baig was led by MNA Afzal Khokhar in which around 60 charged workers carrying portraits of Nawaz Sharif participated and chanting slogans in his favour participated.

MPA Majid Zahoor led the pro-Nawaz rally at Regal Chowk in which less than four dozen workers participated. Similarly, around 100 party workers participated in the protest rally lead by Bilal Yasin at Bhatti Chowk.

The rally organised by provincial minister Mujtaba Shujaur Rehman could only attract 50 to 60 workers, while only 50 workers participated in the rally organised by Khawaja Salman Rafique at Liberty.

Some PML-N workers also staged pro-Nawaz rallies in their individual capacities in front of Data Darbar, Garhi Shahu and other areas.

Luckily, no unpleasant scene was created in front of the Lahore Press Club and Lalik Jan Chowk when PML-N and the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) workers came face to face while holding rallies in support of their parties’ leadership.

Published in Daily Times, July 29^th , 2017.