LAHORE, Aug 23: As soon as Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz workers learnt about the Supreme Court’s positive ruling on petitions filed by the Sharif brothers, they took to the streets in Lahore and other cities in Punjab on Thursday.

They distributed unlimited amounts of sweets at the party’s provincial and city offices and other points, especially in Gowalmandi, the constituency of the Sharifs.

Outside the Lahore office on Nisbet Road, some activists tore down banners erected by the ruling PML supporting President Pervez Musharraf’s re-election and torched them.

Several of the PML-N workers waving party flags and holding portraits of Nawaz Sharif danced in the streets. One of them blocked a police patrol vehicle and started dancing before it while waving a portrait of Mr Sharif.

More activists poured in the city office after the sunset after the party organised a display of fireworks followed by a rally up to Data Sahib’s shrine where thanksgiving prayers were offered.

PML-N’s city president Mian Marghub was the only party leader present in the city as all others had left for Islamabad a day ago to attend the court proceedings.

Another rally towards the shrine was led by Shahbaz Sharif’s political secretary Naushad Hameed and others. They distributed huge amounts of sweets among the passengers of public transport vehicles and passers-by.

Later, the same group distributed sweets outside the Lahore Press Club.

Several small processions from the Walled City also arrived at the club along with sweets.

Shahbaz Sharif’s secretariat and adjacent buildings were illuminated while life-size portraits of the Sharif brothers were also raised at the Shah Alam Chowk.

Reports of celebrations were also received from Faisalabad, Khanewal, Gujranwala, Okara, vehari, Sialkot, Toba Tek Singh, Mandi Bahaudin and Sahiwal.