LAHORE: The PML-N launched its protest programme with a rally on Temple Road here on Saturday.

A good number of party workers gathered there, shouting slogans against Prime Minister Imran Khan and ‘NAB-Niazi nexus’.

They expressed solidarity with their leaders — Nawaz Sharif and Shahbaz Sharif — saying that this ‘selected’ PTI government’s days were numbered.

Although the PML-N has pledged to fully participate in rallies to be taken out under the newly-formed Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), it has planned some separate public meetings in Punjab, of which the Saturday’s event was the first.

PML-N Vice President Ms Maryam will address a party rally at Gujranwala on Oct 16.

Speaking on the occasion, the PML-N leaders said the PTI government had destroyed the country’s economy in two years.

“The Imran Khan regime has made the lives of the masses miserable through unprecedented inflation and price hike. Now the opposition has decided to send this puppet government home,” PML-N Punjab President Rana Sanaullah said. He said Shahbaz served the people of Punjab and for his services he was sent behind bars.

“False cases” had been instituted against the opposition leaders in order to hide incompetence of the PTI government as it failed to deliver on every front, he added.

Sanaullah said Imran Khan made false promises with the people of giving 10 million jobs and five million homes to them. On ground, millions of people had been rendered jobless during the last two years, he added.

“The PML-N workers are standing with Nawaz Sharif. The day the people take to the streets will be the last day of Imran Khan in the government,” he said.

Former NA speaker Ayaz Sadiq said Imran Niazi sold Kashmir to Modi. He said the PML-N leaders and workers were supporting Nawaz and were ready to go to jail for this.

He asked the workers to get ready for a major protest movement to send the “selected government” packing. He said the opposition parties in the alliance were also ready to resign from the parliament.

Saad Rafique, Azma Bokhari, Attaullah Tarar, Pervaiz Malik and Shaista Pervaiz also spoke.

Published in Dawn, October 4th, 2020