Rawalpindi-Pakistan People’s Party city chapter on Tuesday staged a protest demonstration at Liaquat Bagh against arrest of former President Asif Ali Zardari in money laundering case.
The protestors chanted slogans against Prime Minister Imran Khan and his cabinet and in favour of Asif Ali Zardari and Bilawal Bhutto Zardari. They demanded earlier release of the detained former president.
Asif Ali Zardari was arrested on Monday after his bail was rejected in a high-profile money laundering case.
According to details, local leaders including Sumaira Gull, Rasheed Mir, Chaudhry Zaheer and Raja Altaf and PPP workers took out a protest rally from Mareer Chowk and reached Liaquat Bagh while marching on Murree Road.
Holding party flags, Zardari’s portraits and placards, the protestors were bellowing anti-government slogans. The protestors created a traffic jam on Murree Road posing hardships for commuters.
The protestors also demonstrated at Liauqat Bagh where the leaders addressed the party workers. The speakers condemned arrest of Zardari and asked the government to not use negative tactics to press the voice of opposition parties. They said that NAB was acting as puppet into hands of government which was not acceptable. They said that Asif Zardari was innocent and should be released immediately.
Sumaira Gul said that PPP was the only party in Pakistan the leadership of which rendered countless sacrifices for revival of democracy in the country and for bringing betterment in the lives of the poor. “The shining example in this regard is sacrifice of Benazir Bhutto, who shed her blood in this city for revival of democracy,” she added.
Rasheed Mir was of view that PM Imran Khan and his masters were victimising the opposition parties politically. “The opponents of Imran Khan are being roped in bogus corruption cases and such acts of the government will destabilise the country,” he said.
“Earlier, Asif Zardari was implicated in scores of bogus cases but he managed to prove his innocence in the courts of law and got clean chit,” said Chaudhry Zaheer, adding that this time Zardari would also defeat his enemies by getting bail in the phony case of money laundering.
Meanwhile, PPP Gujar Khan chapter set up a protest camp to register their protest against arrest of Asif Ali Zardari by NAB on corruption charges. Scores of local leaders and ‘jiyalas’ attended the protest camp and pledged to support their leaders including Asif Ali Zardari, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and other leaders at the time of need.
Later, PPP workers and leaders proceeded towards Rawalpindi where they visited the monument of PPP slain chairperson and former premier Benazir Bhutto at Liaquat Bagh.