LAHORE: PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday reached out to the city traders with a request to attend a reception for his elder brother Nawaz Sharif at Minar-i-Pakistan on Oct 21, saying “past mistakes should not be repeated to handle the economic crisis”.

In a meeting with the Punjab Traders Association here in Model Town, Shehbaz said the traders always supported the PML-N supremo and expressed the hope that they would continue supporting him. He requested them to ensure their presence at Minar-i-Pakistan on the elder Sharif’s homecoming.

“The past mistakes should not be repeated to address the economic crisis. Unity among the nation, right policies and continuation of the political process can only help economic independence of the country,” Mr Shehbaz said and urged the people to vote his party into power in upcoming polls if they wanted to end their economic miseries.

“On his return, Nawaz will give a road map to overcome economic problems,” he said and claimed his elder brother had the solution to the economic woes of the country.

The junior Sharif also underlined his 16-month government’s efforts to save the country from default. He also talked about sacrificing the political capital of the party for the state.

Shehbaz’s son Hamza and niece Maryam also held separate meetings with the traders association and minority wing of the PML-N, respectively, and pleaded with the participants to reach Minar-i-Pakistan on Oct 21.

The former PM is in the driving seat to mobilise party workers for the much-anticipated Minar-i-Pakistan rally after party’s chief organiser Maryam failed to put up an impressive show at Shahdara a few days ago.

He addressed four back-to-back gatherings at his constituency on Wednesday to charge the supporters.

Late on Wednesday night after addressing the workers at Kahna, Shehbaz’s vehicle was stopped by a group of people demanding restoration of the old Kahna-Suay Asal road. Initially, some PML-N workers had a clash with them, however, one of their representatives was allowed to present their demand to Shehbaz.

On the other hand, Maryam who is ‘upset’ over poor attendance of the workers at Shahdara rally, has asked her trusted lieutenant, party’s Lahore president Saiful Malook Khokhar, to make better preparations for the next rally at Thokar Niaz Beg likely on coming Sunday.

The elder Sharif is all set to return here after securing protective bail. His party says he will surrender to court in the Al Azizia corruption case after speaking at the Minar-i-Pakistan rally.

He had left for London in 2019 on ‘medical grounds’ after the LHC granted him a four-week bail. He had been serving a seven-year jail term at Kot Lakhpat Jail in the Al-Azizia Mills corruption case before securing bail for his treatment abroad.

Published in Dawn, October 6th, 2023