LAHORE: The PML-N leaders organised a separate ceremony to inaugurate the Orange Line Metro Train Project at Jain Mandir and celebrated the occasion.

Before the inauguration by Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar, the PML-N leaders, including Khawaja Saad Rafique and Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, reached the spot in a truck along with a crowd of the party workers and cut the ribbon to inaugurate the project, terming it a brainchild of the party president Shehbaz Sharif.

They chanted slogans against the PTI government for victimising those who worked day and night for the uplift of Lahore by completing several projects, including the train project.

“Shehbaz Sharif and his son Hamza Shahbaz are paying a price of introducing and completing this mega train project for the people of Lahore. Look at them. They are in Kot Lakhpat Jail. And Ahad Cheema (the former LDA DG), who had a lead role in executing this project, is in the Camp Jail. We too spent time in jail for serving the people of Lahore,” deplored Khawaja Saad Rafique, the former minister for railways.

He criticised the former chief justice Saqib Nisar for delaying the project in a bid to support the PTI campaign for power.

“Due to the massive delay caused by retired Justice Saqib Nisar, this country faced billions of rupees loss. You (Mr Nisar) misused your powers. You didn’t do justice. You disgraced the people,” he continued his tirade.

Mr Rafique termed Imran Khan a selected PM, who, according to him, acted like kids. He said the PML-N would continue its struggle to bring about real democracy in the country. He criticised the government for putting Shehbaz Sharif and his son behind the bars for not leaving Nawaz Sharif.

Speaking on the occasion, former NA Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq said the day of ouster of the PTI government was very near.

“You are flour and sugar thieves. This government would be ousted in near future,” he predicted.

Published in Dawn, October 26th, 2020