LAHORE: The PML-N on Saturday alleged that the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf government had planned to attack Maryam Nawaz and the party workers outside the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) offices here on Aug 12.

Violence had erupted outside the NAB offices at Thokar Niaz Beg as heavy police contingents and PML-N workers clashed shortly after the arrival of party’s vice-president there for appearance before NAB investigators in a land acquisition “scam”.

Many people, including some police officials, were injured and 58 PML-N activists were rounded up after police fired teargas, besides hurling back stones at the party workers, with each side blaming the other for triggering the clash.

“The PTI government and people like [information minister] Fayyaz Chohan had planned to attack the PML-N workers outside the NAB offices,” PML-N Punjab Information Secretary Ms Azma Bokhari said in a statement.

She said the PML-N would not be blackmailed by Mr Chohan and the company because of some “doctored videos”, shown on the media.

The PML-N lawmaker said Ms Nawaz had been on the nerves of the PTI leaders who were afraid of her politics.

“The NAB-Niazi nexus won’t succeed in breaking the PML-N and weakening the Sharif family,” she said.

She said the government had just months to deliver and that was why it got “aggressive” in political victimisation of its opponents.

PML-N Punjab President Rana Sanaullah said those involved in the “attack” on Maryam Nawaz and PML-N workers would have to be answerable.

He said Corona-survivor Sheikh Rashid was “spewing venom” against the PML-N as he was afraid of Maryam Nawaz.

Published in Dawn, August 16th, 2020