LAHORE: The PML-N held demonstrations at several places in the city on Tuesday to protest against the arrest of Opposition Leader in Punjab Assembly Hamza Shahbaz.

The National Accountability Bureau, Lahore, arrested Hamza in money laundering, income beyond means and Ramzan Sugar Mills cases.

The PML-N workers held demonstrations at some 18 points including The Mall, Ferozpur Road, Chungi Amer Sidhu, Multan Road, Manawan, Mughalpura, Garhi Shahu and Ichhra. They burnt tyres and chanted slogans against Prime Minister Imran Khan and NAB. Traffic remained suspended and motorists faced inconvenience for several hours because of the protest.

The participants termed Hamza’s arrest a political victimisation by Imran Niazi and said the PML-N couldn’t be cowed down by such tactics.

Addressing Imran Khan PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz said: “These arrests cannot save you from the wrath of people. You made these arrests (Hamza Shahbaz and Asif Ali) to divert the attention of your government’s anti-people budget. This ‘incompetent’ premier cannot save himself by such tactics as his departure is a writing on the wall.”

She praised Hamza saying the show of this “puppet prime minister” was about to end.

She also said in a tweet: “NAB got chided today for not submitting a reply despite 3 weeks notice in Mian Nawaz Sharif bail case. NAB is without a doubt doing Jaali-e-Azam’s bidding & is DIRECTLY controlled by him. The delay was advertent & part of the plan.”

Former premier Nawaz Sharif’s son Hussain Nawaz tweeted: “Hamza has been arrested for investigation by NAB albeit there was neither lack of cooperation nor fear of escape. If the law were to apply uniformly why not hold Imran Khan for similar investigation in Aleema Khan’s assets? Was Nawaz Sharif not convicted under similar assumptions?”

PML-N Punjab Information Secretary Azma Bokhari said the Imran Khan government had achieved its purpose by leaking the video and audio conversation of NAB Chairman retired Justice Javed Iqbal (with a woman). She said the NAB chairman was under pressure to arrest the top leaders of the opposition. “Soon there will be a march on the Banigala,” she said.

The PML-N also submitted a resolution in the Punjab Assembly condemning the arrest of Mr Hamza and requested the speaker to issue his production order.

Published in Dawn, June 12th, 2019