PML-N cancels rallies in Lahore ahead of Nawaz Sharif’s homecoming

LAHORE: In a strategic move to prevent worker fatigue before the anticipated return of Pakistan Muslim League- Nawaz (PML-N) Nawaz Sharif on October 21, the party has announced the cancellation of three planned rallies in Lahore.

The Dawn.com reported that according to a senior PML-N leader in Punjab, the decision was made under the direct instruction of Nawaz Sharif himself. The elder Sharif, set to land in Lahore later this month, is scheduled to address a gathering at Minar-i-Pakistan.

“Nawaz Sharif directed party president Shehbaz Sharif not to exhaust the party workers ahead of his return. He emphasised that the party leaders should continue to hold corner meetings and coordinate effectively with the workers to ensure his homecoming becomes historic,” said the PML-N leader.

Amidst reports of internal discord within the party, Nawaz Sharif urged Shehbaz Sharif to promptly resolve differences among certain leaders, particularly within the Lahore chapter, to ensure the success of the October 21 event.

Read More: Nawaz to return on special flight ‘Umeed-e-Pakistan’

Initially planning seven rallies in Lahore, the PML-N had already canceled two earlier this month. The latest decision scraps the remaining three rallies in the constituencies of Khawaja Saad Rafiq, Rana Mashhood, and Riaz Malik, where Maryam Nawaz, the chief organiser, was scheduled to address the gatherings.

A party insider revealed, “After the Thokar Niaz Baig rally on Sunday, where the PML-N chapter in Lahore had to exert considerable effort, it was reported to the leadership that further exhausting both chapters before Oct 21 would not be advisable.”

Highlighting alleged poor coordination between the Punjab and Lahore chapters, the PML-N leader claimed that differences between leaders Khawaja Saad Rafiq and Saiful Malook Khokhar had affected the party’s ability to organise large gatherings in their respective constituencies.

Meanwhile, Shehbaz Sharif, after addressing multiple gatherings last week, is expected to lead another round in the city to energize supporters.

Although PML-N chapters across the country have been given targets for the Minar-i-Pakistan rally, the prime responsibility for mobilising support lies with the Punjab and Lahore leadership.

In other developments, PML-N Senator Irfan Siddiqui announced that Nawaz Sharif would be leaving for Saudi Arabia from London on Wednesday, where he plans to perform Umrah and spend time with his son, Hussain Sharif.

Nawaz Sharif, who left for London in November 2019 on medical grounds, was serving a seven-year jail term in Lahore in the Al-Azizia Mills corruption case. Speculation regarding his return has sparked debates, with PML-N leader Rana Sanaullah suggesting that Nawaz Sharif would seek protective bail before addressing the rally, a claim later clarified by PML-N Information Secretary Marriyum Aurangzeb.