FIR filed against 1,900, including Shehbaz Sharif, over opposition's Lahore rally

LAHORE: Police registered a case against 1,900 participants, including Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz leader Shehbaz Sharif, for holding the opposition’s rally on the Mall Road.

The united opposition held rallies across the country, observing Black Day on the first anniversary of General Elections 2018, which saw Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf assuming charge of political affairs.

The case was registered under SHO Civil Lines, with multiple charges against those present at the opposition’s rally in Lahore.

The FIR nominated Qamar Zaman Kaira, Waheed Gul, Rabia Naseem, Uzma Bukhari etc.

The FIR stated that several protesters were carrying sticks and enclosed the Mall Road, causing inconvenience to the public.

It further said that protesters broke police barriers, made incendiary speeches, and chanted anti-government slogans.

On Friday, Shehbaz led a rally towards Lahore's Mall Road, with the Punjab government and Opposition coming to a face-off. He addressed workers in Model Town, saying those who have wreaked destruction on Pakistan would have to pay and those who stole people's jobs would be held accountable.

The PML-N workers, in addition, broke through the barriers installed on their routes by the police.

On the other hand, Kaira, the PPP leader, led his rally simultaneously with Shehbaz's, starting from the Charing Cross Road in Lahore.