LAHORE: A number of workers and supporters of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) on Thursday vociferously protested in several parts of Punjab against the assassination attempt on their leader Imran Khan during the long march.

The PTI workers attacked the residence of Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah Khan in Faisalabad soon after the assault on the long march. The PTI workers, charged with aggression, attacked Rana Sanaullah’s home and damaged household items.

The PTI supporters also gathered at Jinnah Colony Chowk on Narwala Road in Faisalabad to protest against firing on their leader.

In Lahore, the PTI workers gathered at Liberty Chowk, Shahdara, Johar Town and on The Mall to protest against the attack. Punjab Local Government Minister Mahmoodur Rasheed led the protest at Liberty Chowk.

Vandals attack Rana Sana’s residence in Faisalabad

The PTI workers also protested in Gujrat, led by district president Saleem Sarwar Jora and secretary general Mian Mubin Hayat. The workers of Lalamusa, Kharian, Dinga and Sara-i-Alamgir also joined the protest.

Roads and markets were full of protesters in Sheikhupura and on Sargodha Road. The PTI workers also closed entry and exit points in Sialkot city.

MIANWALI: Protests broke out in Mianwali -- the hometown of Imran Khan -- after hearing about the attack. The protesters blocked the entry and exit points in Mianwali by burning tyres. MNA Amjad Ali Khan, along with District General Secretary Ameer Khan, led the protest. A number of workers protested at Mianwali Chowk, raising slogans against the government.

Police contingents reached there to avoid any untoward incident. The people were agitating and long queues of vehicles could be seen on both sides of the road till filing of this report.

BAHAWALPUR: After the news of firing on Imran Khan’s container broke out on TV channels, a large number of PTI activists came out on the roads in the city and Hasilpur, Yazman and Ahmedpur East and expressed their anguish.

Shops in various markets were closed amid demonstrations. In the city, the PTI activists led by MPA Samiullah Khan, Rehan Bin Javed and others assembled at Fowara Chowk and demonstrated there against the firing incident.

OKARA: On the appeal of PTI district president Chaudhry Tariq Irshad Khan and general secretary Chaudhry Muhammad Saleem Sadiq, hundreds of PTI activists blocked GT Road resulting in long queues of motorists. The charged workers led by Saleem Sadiq, Chaudhry Abdullah Tahir, Mehr Abdul Sattar, Rao Abdul Rehman and others protested against the failure of the Punjab government to provide foolproof security to the Azadi March.

SARGODHA: The PTI workers staged a protest rally and forced the shopkeepers to put the shutters down.

PTI leader Dr Nadia led a protest rally the participants of which exchanged harsh words with some PML-N workers who confronted them. The PTI workers said there would be a strike tomorrow and protest would be held after Friday prayers.

SAHIWAL: Protests were held in various parts of the district. A number of PTI supporters and district office-bearers blocked the Lahore-Multan highway and the road near Sahiwal bypass.

The protesters burnt tyres and chanted slogans against the PML-N leaders including Rana Sanaullah.

(Our correspondents from Mianwali, Bahawalpur, Okara, Sargodha and Sahiwal also contributed)

Published in Dawn, November 4th, 2022