GILGIT: Hundreds of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) workers on Thursday began their journey from Chilas in the form of a rally comprising some 300 vehicles to Lahore in order to give a rousing welcome to self-exiled former prime minister Nawaz Sharif.

The rally, headed by Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) Agriculture Minister Engineer Muhammad Anwar and general secretary of the party’s GB chapter Akbar Taban, is expected to reach Lahore on Saturday (tomorrow) after passing through Babusar Pass.

Wearing traditional party caps, the PML-N workers were seen dancing on the party’s anthem before leaving for Lahore. The organisers claimed that as many as 1,500 party workers and 300 vehicles were moving towards Lahore through Babusar Pass. Besides, they claimed, it was the largest car rally on a 1,300-kilometre long route.

Speaking to the mediapersons after reaching Naran in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Mr Anwar said the PML-N workers from GB would warmly receive Nawaz Sharif upon his arrival in Pakistan at the historic Minar-i-Pakistan in Lahore.

“The workers have a deep affection for their leader Nawaz Sharif, and he is the heartbeat of the GB people,” he said.

Mr Taban informed the reporters that the rally would reach Rawalpindi on Friday (today), from where more rallies from the GB would join the main rally.

Separately, another PML-N rally led by former chief minister Hafeezur Rehman is moving towards Lahore from GB. The rally comprises dozens of cars from various areas of GB with charged party workers and is planned to arrive in Lahore on Saturday.

Published in Dawn, October 20th, 2023