news desk
LAHORE
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) president Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday slammed the caretaker government set-up following arrests of more than 100 workers from Lahore ahead of party supremo Nawaz Sharif’s return.
“Arrests of workers is naked pre-poll rigging,” Shehbaz said as he addressed the media in Lahore alongside former railways minister Saad Rafique and former National Assembly speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq.
“Everyone is involved in this blatant rigging from the caretaker Punjab chief minister to the caretaker interior minister and police officials,” the PML-N president asserted. “The whole world knows PML-N is being targetted,” he added. Doors of workers’ houses were broken down and they were arrested last night, the former Punjab chief minister shared while adding that around 300 workers were also arrested from Rawalpindi on Tuesday.
“No logic can defend the 30-day detention of our workers,” Shehbaz upheld.
Demanding that workers be released immediately, the former Punjab chief minister said, “Our protest will be peaceful.” Urging the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to take notice, the PML-N president said, “By the time our workers are released polls will be over.” The former Punjab chief minister further vowed that he and his party workers will go to receive former premier Nawaz Sharif at Lahore airport tomorrow “come what may”.
Shehbaz also warned police officials against arresting his workers. “Know that time never remains the same and after we win the polls, we will hold you accountable on July 26,” he said.
Further, the Punjab chief minister appealed to the nation to help build Pakistan and not destroy it. “How can you allow Imran Khan to rule with his flawed policies?” he asked. Requesting the nation to come out in Nawaz’s support, Shehbaz said, “Mian Sb is coming back for the people and for the betterment of Pakistan.”
Lamenting that the party is not being allowed to campaign and is “being pushed into a corner”, Shehbaz said, “No one complain to me later if we are not given a level playing field.”
