MULTAN - A group of PML-N workers on Wednesday attacked the residence of PTI Vice Chairman Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi here while he was in Islamabad, leading his party’s Azadi March.
Over 50 PML-N workers, led by the party’s district president, Bilal Butt, assembled outside the house of Shah Mahmood Qureshi in Daulat Gate and banged its main gate. “The workers kicked the gate, hit it with clubs and other objects and shouted slogans against PTI Chairman Imran Khan and Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi,” said an eyewitness, Azeem Khan, while talking to this scribe.
Qureshi strongly condemned the attack and demanded immediate action against those involved in the incident. “It’s a personal attack. If our workers get enraged, the country will be pushed towards a civil war,” he warned, while talking to The Nation.
The attack came at a time when the government is striving hard to defuse the growing political tension in the country and political analysts fear it might prove a serious setback to the government’s efforts.
Police played the role of mere onlookers as the PML-N workers, being led by their entire district leadership, including Hamza Shahid Lodhi, Zafar Qadri, Munir Akhtar Langah, Muti-ul-Hassan Bokhari and Hafiz Joiya, enjoyed full liberty to attack Qureshi’s home. The workers staged a sit-in outside Al-Quresh and refused to vacate the passage. All the inmates remained confined to the home for over one hour until police succeeded in convincing the protesters to end the sit in.
Commenting on this situation, Shah Mahmood termed it a proof of the government’s dual face. “On one hand, the rulers talk about dialogue and democracy, but on the other hand, they send their Gullu Butts to attack political opponents’ homes,” he remarked.
Meanwhile, the city chapter of PML-N also staged a rally in favour of the government in Mumtazabad. The rally was led by city president Rana Shahid-ul-Hassan. The participants of the rally chanted slogans against PTI and PAT. They pledged to protect democracy at all costs.