LAHORE: Another PML-N leader had to face embarrassment on Monday at a public ceremony because of shouting of the viral slogan -- ‘Go Nawaz Go’ -- by one of the participants.

The situation turned awkward this time for Adviser to Chief Minister on Health Khwaja Salman Rafique as well as the organisers of the oath-taking ceremony of the Punjab chapter of the Pakistan Medical Association when a doctor suddenly started raising the slogan that has become a clarion call for Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf supporters.

The heckler also called the CM’s adviser “Gullu Butt”.

This prompted the event’s management to thrash the heckler and push him out of the venue. He received a minor face injury during the scuffle with event organisers.

Salaman Rafique was the chief guest of the ceremony held at the Royal Palm Country Club.

The new elected body of the PMA Punjab which took oath included Dr Mehar Iqbal (president elect), Dr Izhar Chaudhry (president for next term), Dr Kamran Saeed (general secretary), Dr Alim Nawaz (finance secretary) and Dr Tehseena Zafar and Dr Maira Gull (joint secretaries), besides divisional vice presidents of the province.

According to witnesses, as soon as Salman Rafique reached the venue, Dr Salman Petal, joint secretary of Muzafargarh chapter of the PMA Punjab, carrying a PTI flag stood up on his chair and started shouting “Go Nawaz Go”.

The elected representatives of the PMA Punjab remained stunned for sometime, but pounced upon Dr Salman when he started disgracing some other guests too.

They first tried to pacify the ‘PTI activist’ through a dialogue, but when Dr Salman refused to be convinced, the organisers gave him a good thrashing and forced him to leave the venue.

An exchange of hot words between some senior doctors was also witnessed when some of the participants in the ceremony tried to intervene in support of Dr Salman.

Later, talking to the media, Dr Salman alleged he was recording his ‘protest’ but the “Gullu Butts” of the medical community beat him up.

“It is my fundamental right (to protest) but the government-backed doctors thrashed me in the presence of scores of people,” he said.

Introducing himself as PTI Punjab council member from Muzaffargarh, he vowed to continue ‘protest’ in such ceremonies. The PMA office-bearers, however, termed the incident unfortunate and condemned Dr Salman’s conduct, stating he should demonstrate in some political event instead of trying to spoil the PMA ceremony.

Published in Dawn, September 30th , 2014