Daily Times

The workers and Jiyalas of Pakistan People’s Party took to the streets in Lahore soon after a team of National Accountability Bureau arrested former President and Co-Chairman of PPP Asif Ali Zardari from his residence in Islamabad. The Jiyalas blocked the traffic from four points in Lahore to protest the arrest of their leader while also chanting slogans against the NAB and Prime Minister Imran Khan as they said that the PM is behind the arrest of Zardari. As per the details, the workers of PPP gathered at four points of Lahore including Shahdara interchange, Garhi Shahu Chowk, Badamai Bagh and Ferozpur Road near Gulab Devi Hospital to record their protest. Traffic remained suspended for some time as the PPP workers burnt tyres to hinder the smooth flow of traffic.

The Jiyalas also blocked the Metro Bus near Ferozpur Road as a large number of PPP workers reached there after getting the news regarding the arrest of Zardari. Napoleyan Qayyum, a PPP minority wing leader, who was leading the protesters from Christian locality of Youhanabad, said that Asif Ali Zardari is being victimised by the powerful quarters since he became the son-in-law of the Bhutto family and this arrest is also part of that victimisation. He further added that Zardari Sahib was put behind the bars for 11 years in the past but not a single allegation was proved against him and he will be exonerated once again. Time has come to give justice to Zardari that he awaits since long, he added. An old worker of PPP Shahida Jabeen, who was among the protesters at Garhi Shahu Chowk, said that the NAB has arrested Zardari on the behest of Imran Khan and powerful quarters. Qadam Barhao Asif Zardari…Hum tumharay saath hein and NAB Gardi bando kro slogans were being chanted at Garhi Shahu by the protesters who also burnt the tyres to hamper the traffic flow. PPP leaders Faisal Mir, Malik Usman, Mani Pehalwan, Shehbaz Bhatti were also present there to record their protest.

The countdown of Imran Khan has just begun after the arrest of Asif Zardari: PPP leader

Talking to Daily Times, PPP parliamentary leader in Punjab Assembly Syed Hassan Murtaza said that the countdown of Imran Khan has just begun after the arrest of Asif Zardari. He was of the view that the arrest of Zardari will pave the way to oust Imran Khan as Jiyalas are desperate to come on the roads and he cannot avoid the wave of PPP workers. We have just given a trailer today and there will be no road left with the protest and demonstrations of PPP workers if given the final call of protest by the leadership, he added. He was of the view that PPP will also raise the arrest of Asif Zardari in the upcoming budget session of the Punjab Assembly and the passage of the budget wouldn’t be a smooth sailing for the PTI-led government due to our protest in the House.

The meeting of PPP Punjab’s executive committee has also been called on Tuesday morning to craft the strategy after the arrest of former president.