LAHORE: In a clear violation of Section 144, ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) led by Federal Information Minister Attaullah Tarar held a public rally in the city to celebrate “achievements of the government”.

In the wake of the black day protests planned by Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) for ‘stealing’ its mandate in the last February general elections, the Punjab government of Maryam Nawaz had imposed Section 144 across the province, banning all political assemblies, gatherings, sit-ins, rallies, demonstrations, protests and other such activities on Feb 8.

The Maryam administration had claimed that there was an apprehension that miscreants/mischief-mongers could take advantage of the public gathering to carry out subversive/anti-state activities to fulfil their nefarious designs.

As the PTI was neither given permission by the government to hold a rally at Minar-i-Pakistan nor any of its leaders and workers were allowed to hold a demonstration to observe black day on Saturday citing Section 144, the PML-N’s rally in the constituency (NA-127) of Tarar in Green Town was rather facilitated by the local administration and police to put up a better show.

Admin facilitates Atta’s show

In different parts of the province, including Lahore, some PTI leaders and workers, including PTI vice chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi’s daughter Mehr Bano Qureshi, were arrested for violation of Section 144.

Speaking at the occasion, Tarar claimed that the PML-N public rally in Green Town was bigger than the PTI’s Swabi (KP) gathering.

Taking on the PTI, Tarar asked how come mandate was stolen in Punjab but not in the KP.

Defending Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja, Tarar said it was the PTI that had recommended his name.

“The PTI expected him to facilitate rigging in its favour, but now its entire rigging narrative has been buried,” he claimed.

He said the people of Pakistan had rejected PTI’s so-called black day. “Instead, the public stands with progress and development. The PTI is not just against us but against the country. The PTI was praying for Pakistan’s default but today it is beginning to rank among the region’s best economies,” he said and added after just one year in office, the PML-N was celebrating a day of progress and development.

The minister also credited Army Chief Gen Asim Munir for playing a vital role in economic stability, claiming that Pakistan was now emerging among the top economies globally.

Published in Dawn, February 9th, 2025