LAHORE: The Shahdara police lodged on Tuesday another case against PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz, her husband retired Capt Safdar Awan and many other party leaders and workers for chanting slogans against the government and the state institutions while taking out a rally from Shahdara to Begum Kot on Oct 16.
The case was registered under sections 269, 270, 290 and 291 of the Pakistan Penal Code, Maintenance of Public Order and sections 6 and 16 of the Punjab Sound Systems (Regulation) Act, 2015.
In the FIR, complainant Shahdara SHO Inspector Zahid Nawaz alleged that Maryam Nawaz and retired Capt Safdar Awan led a rally of over 2,000 party leaders and workers in Shahdara where the suspects not only provoked the masses against the government but also violated coronavirus SOPs.
He said the suspects had not obtained no objection certificate (NOC) or permission from the district authority to take out the rally.
Maryam, Safdar, others booked under PPC, MPO sections
The participants blocked main roads unlawfully, used loudspeakers and microphones in sheer violation of laws.
The SHO Shahdara said Safdar while addressing over 900 party men raised slogans against the government institutions.
Similarly, PML N leaders Ghazali Butt and Ali Parvaiz Malik reached Shahdara Chowk while leading a rally of nearly 90 workers.
He also nominated in the FIR other senior leaders of the opposition party including Mohammad Zubair, Malik Riaz, Samiullah Khan, Rana Iqbal, Rana Mohammad Hayat, Rana Sikandar, Rana Mubashar Iqbal, Mirza Javed, Bilal Yasin, Saiful Malook, retired Col Mubashar, etc.
The SHO alleged that Maryam Nawaz risked her life despite knowing about the security threats.
She came out of the vehicle, addressed the rally, chanted slogans against the state institutions and also incited public to be ready to ‘send Imran Khan’s government packing’.
The PML-N vice president exposed herself amid security advisories, risking her life, he said adding that she also violated the Covid-19 protocol.
Complainant Zahid Nawaz said senior party leaders and other workers present on the occasion endorsed the slogans of Maryam Nawaz.
He said the suspects nominated in the FIR had blatantly violated the law, provoked public against the state institutions and the government.
The charged leaders of the PML-N had brought two cranes and a truck to block traffic at Shahdara Chowk, causing a great deal of inconvenience for the public.
The police personnel present there had suggested to the party leaders to remove vehicles from the road for public ease but they refused to do so.
The FIR accused Maryam Nawaz, retired Capt Safdar and others [nominated] of violating laws and taking out illegal rally on GT Road and from Shahdara to Begumkot without seeking approval from the district authority.
Published in Dawn, October 21st, 2020
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