RAWALPINDI, May 7: A mid-term examination paper in Pir Mehr Ali Shah University of Arid Agriculture, Rawalpindi had to be postponed on Monday to accommodate the Punjab government’s laptop distribution ceremony.

MNA Mian Hamza Shahbaz was the chief guest on the occasion. He was flanked by other PML-N legislators Hanif Abbasi, Raja Mohammad Hanif, Shakil Awan, Malik Iftikhar, Ghulam Raza, Zaeem Qadri, Senators Najma Hameed and other party leaders.

Although the event was organised to distribute laptops among students for their outstanding positions in examinations, the ceremony assumed the colour of a political campaign.

Banners and posters of PML-N amid sloganeering by party workers gave a look of political gathering of a party with students were seen at the entry gates arguing with police for letting them in as the security was so tight on the occasion.

The stage was occupied by politicians with no seat for the principals/vice-chancellors of the institutions that had clinched positions in examination.

The spacious lawn of the university where students had been seated echoed with ‘Go-Zardari-Go’ and ‘Go-Gillani-Go’ slogans when Hamza Shahbaz came hard on the policies of the federal government.

Spokesman for the university told Dawn that the mid-term examination paper had been postponed due to the laptop distribution ceremony.

Mr Hamza asked the students to force the government to honour the Supreme Court verdicts in NRO and contempt of court cases.

“We will distribute 300,000 laptops next year, but I request you not to sell them in markets as these are your rewards,” he said.

He said the PML-N would oppose formation of new provinces on ethnic grounds. He said the already existing provinces were fraught with law and order and other problems. “Before making more provinces, we must resolve the existing problems first,” he said.

Earlier, the students were given Guard of Honour.

The toppers were awarded laptops by the chief guest while the rest of students will get their rewards from their respective institutions.