The charged and enthusiastic workers of Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) reached Lahore from all nooks of the country to welcome their leader and former prime minister Mian Nawaz Sharif, on Friday, termed the welcoming rally as a referendum against the verdict of National Accountability Bureau (NAB).
The NAB court had awarded a 10 and seven-year imprisonment term to Sharif and his daughter Maryam Nawaz respectively.
The passion of PML-N workers was overwhelming as they started gathering outside the historical Muslim Masjid at Lohari gate (walled city) soon after the Friday prayer on the call of Party President and former Punjab Chief Minister Mian Shahbaz Sharif. He also reached there after Friday prayers with his son, Hamza Shahbaz, who was driving his vehicle.
“No one asked me to reach here as it is solely my own decision to come on the roads to welcome my leader who has a long history of serving this country,” remarked Haji Muhammad Hanif, a man who trades fish at a local market adjacent to the Lohari gate.
Hanif added, “I am a registered voter in NA-125 from where Nawaz Sharif repeatedly got elected during his political career.”
“He has changed the whole infrastructure of this city by initiating several development projects including bridges and flyovers,” he maintained. Hanif further continued, “It is my obligation to pay him back by giving him warm welcome and therefore I am here today, Hanif said while standing just outside the Lohari gate.”
The strategy of PML-N of giving a call to workers to gather at Lohari gate worked well as the circular road was jam-packed from Shah Alam gate to Bhati gate, keeping in view the PML-N stronghold.
The passion of workers multiplied when Sharif reached there and his vehicle started moving towards Bhati gate. He was followed by Khawaja Saad Rafique, who came outside from the sunroof of his vehicle while waving to his supporters.
The PML-N workers started raising slogans in favour of Khawaja Saad as he appeared at Lohari gate. It should be kept in mind that Lohari gate is the home constituency of Saad as he was born inside Lohari and his father, late Khawaja Muhammad Rafique, was elected from here repeatedly.
The rally was marked by the prominent presence of Maryam Aurangzeb, Talal Chaudhry, Mushahid Hussain Syed, Khurram Dastagir Khan, Bilal Yasin, AJK Prime Minister Raja Farooq Haider, CM Gilgit Baltistan Hafeez ur Rehman, Senator Saleem Zia from Sindh, Senator Rana Mahmood ul Hasan from Multan, former speaker Punjab Assembly Rana Iqbal, Khawaja Imran Nazir, Dr Musadiq Malik, Saira Afzal Tarar and many other leaders of PML-N.
Sharif preferred speaking from inside his vehicle as he thanked the workers for their love for the party’s Quaid.
“Today, you have won my heart. Earlier, I was your servant but now I would be serving to your future generations due to your love and affection,” added Sharif upon receiving an overwhelming response at Bhati gate.
A large number of workers from the constituency of Hamza Shehbaz were also present, who chanted slogans in his favour as well.
Bhati Chowk was clogged due to the massive crowd present. It took over two hours for Shehbaz to reach Mall Road, just a few minutes’ drive away.
“Mian Tera Aik Ishara. Hazir Hazir Gujranwala,” slogans were raised at Bhati Chowk when former federal defence minister Khurram Dastagir, who hails from Gujranwala, came outside from his vehicle.
People had come from Murree, Islamabad, Okara, Gujrat, Multan, Hafizabad, Faisalabad, Sialkot and other areas of the country to the rally. A large number of woman workers were also present in the rally.
Former provincial minister for health Khawaja Imran Nazir was also seen rounding the rally on a motorbike with a PML-N worker near Lower Mall Haider Zia is a PML-N worker who had come from the constituency of Khawaja Asif (Sialkot). He told Daily Times while standing at Istanbul Chowk at Mall Road, “Today’s rally is a referendum of people for Nawaz Sharif who still rules in the hearts of the people of Pakistan.”
He added, “We reached Lahore by crossing several hindrances that came in our way at GT road but our leader Khawaja Asif wasn’t allowed by the Rangers to go ahead.”
The closure of cellular service was also a huge problem as we couldn’t get in touch with other people of our convoy who were stranded at GT road, he maintained.
Murtaza Abbasi, who had come from Murree (the constituency of former PM Shahid Khaqan Abbasi) told this scribe while standing at GPO Chowk that he had reached Lahore a day earlier just to avoid the hindrances put in place by the police at both the motorway and GT road.