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LAHORE (May 12 2004): Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) President Shahbaz Sharif, who arrived here through a Gulf Air (GF 432) flight was deported to Jeddah on a PIA flight (PK-305), an hour after his arrival on Tuesday evening, amid unprecedented security arrangements adopted at the Allama Iqbal International Airport.
Soon after his arrival, medical examination of Shahbaz Sharif was conducted in the presence of some senior officials, as he complained that he was not medically fit, to further travel to Saudi Arabia, but he was found fit.
It has been learnt that Shahbaz Sharif has been deported to Jeddah by force and some officials accompanied him in the plane.
A source close to Sharif family said Shahbaz Sharif landed in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday night.
Entry of general public as well as staff of the PIA, Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and other agencies was restricted to the airport.
"A large number of leaders and workers of PML-N, including Maimoona Hashmi, Siranjam Khan, Pir Sabir Shah, Tehmina Daultana, Iqbal Jhaggra, Ahsan Iqbal, Inam Ullah Niazi, Sardar Yaqoob Nasir, Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, party MNAs, MPAs and workers of the Alliance for Restoration of Democracy (ARD) have been arrested from across the country apart from severe torture inflicted by police jawans across the country," PML-N Chairman Raja Zafarul Haq said at a hurriedly called press conference at the Lahore Press Club.
PML-N considers that deportation of Shahbaz Sharif is not only contempt of the Supreme Court, but an act which would earn a bad name for the country, as a large number of representatives of foreign media were also humiliated by the agencies officials on their arrival here, Raja Zafarullah said.
He said his party is consulting lawyers, who contested Shahbaz's case in the Supreme Court and after due consideration, contempt of court petition would be filed, besides waging legal battle for release of arrested people.
"Tuesday is a historic day in the country's political history, which would usher in a new era of democracy and prosperity," he added.
He was of the view that action of the government of deporting Shahbaz Sharif is in violation of the Constitution and contempt of court of apex court of the country.
To a question, he said that the number of arrested people is in thousands and we would take all necessary measures for their release.
He said a meeting of the party is being convened soon to chalk out future strategy. He also ruled out any possibility of deal between the government and the Sharif family.
Moreover, all the roads leading towards the airport remained closed, while temporary police posts were established to stop PML-N activists to move towards their destination.
Public transport en route to airport was also not available. A large number of residents of the area of DHA, PIA, CAA staff and even passengers had to face great hardships in reaching airport.
Mian Hamza Shahbaz, son of Shahbaz Sharif, told Business Recorder that police did not allow him to reach airport from Ghazi Road.
He said that he was sent back to his Defence Road residence. A large number of journalists were also not permitted beyond Haj Terminal and those who forcefully tried to break the barrier had to face police highhandedness.
A monitoring team of Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) was also stopped near Corps Commander House and they were not allowed to move towards the airport.
One of the members of the team M. Irshad termed the police action as negation of democracy and gross violation of human rights.
Meanwhile, in a bid to stop the "welcome procession" to receive PML-N President Shahbaz Sharif, the government arrested hundreds of leaders and workers of the party and ARD after severe clashes between political activists and the police in Lahore on Tuesday.
In sporadic incidents across the city, there were clashes between the police and political activists.
The police resorted to indiscriminate baton-charge to disperse the crowd, in which many innocent people were also injured.
In response to the aggressive police tactics the political workers retaliated by stone pelting the police and setting tyres on blaze.
To control the situation, the police used teargas to force the political activists to disperse.
There were contrary claims of arrested people, as police sources said that the figure of arrested is in hundreds, while PML-N party sources are claiming it to be in thousands.
Nila Gumbad was the focal point in the city where the political leaders and workers of both PML-N and ARD, were to assemble in the afternoon to move in the shape of a caravan to receive the PML-N leader, to be led under the leadership of ARD.
However, heavy police was deployed at Nila Gumbad, to spoil the PML-N show, thus, they had cordon off the entire area. No one was allowed to enter into the vicinity, and if any one dared to enter, was arrested on the spot.
Many political leaders and workers, both local and outsiders, courted their arrests, while shouting pro-PML-N and Shahbaz Sharif slogans.
They were manhandled by the police and were not even allowed to talk to the media people, who were present in a large number.
A large number of human rights activists were also present on the occasion and they told the press that they would prepare a report on the incident to be released shortly.
Over 150 political activists were arrested alone in Nila Gumbad, who were taken to the nearby police station. It was observed that the police also arrested common people and on the intervention of the media people they were released.
Political leaders who were arrested included S A Hameed, Ahsan Iqbal, Khwaja Ahmed Hassan, Ayesha Murtaza, Gouhar Raza, Sohail Malik, Sami Ullah of PPP, Pir Mazhar Elahi, M. Ishtiaq, MPA of PML-N, Rao Tahir, Malik Waheed, Malik Ilyas, Muhammad Yaqub, Sardar Nasim, Ashfaq Ahmad, Din Muhammad Leghari and Hakim Fazal Karim.
Some of the PML leaders, including Tahir Chaudhry, managed to escape from the police, while Khwaja Saad Rafique, PML-N Lahore president, did not appear at all, although it kept informing the media on the mobile that he was coming to give his arrest.
At the beginning, the arrest were conducted in a peaceful environment, however, later the political workers led by their leaders resisted the arrests on which the police baton charged and forcefully dragged them to the police buses. Inamullah with his companions were also severely beaten by the police.
On his arrest, he said that the government had shown its real face and using the tools of state terrorism to suppress the freedom of expression.
Kamran Rizvi of MQM (H) travelled from Karachi to give his arrest and showed his party's full support to the PML-N and its president.
While talking to the press, he said that the government has acted against the norms of democracy and showed its intolerance to the freedom of expression.
The highhandedness on the part of the government angered the political workers and they started pelting stones on the police at the Lady McLagan Road and injured a few policemen, and set tyres on blaze.
Failing to control the situation, the police resorted to teargas, which gave the areas a war zone look.
The police had also cordoned off Lahore High Court (LHC) in order to deter the PML-N lawyers from taking out a procession, which later to be joined at the main procession at Nila Gumbad.
The lawyers showed their anger by pelting stones on the police from the LHC premises. In retaliation, the police also pelted stones back at the lawyers and in the process deliberately damaged the cars parked inside the LHC premises.
The political leaders, including Nawabzada Mansoor Ali Khan, ARD Vice President Nawaz Gondal of ARD, Manzoor Ali Gillani, a senior ARD leader, Talat Yaqoob, MPA of PPPP, Sajida Mir, a PPPP activist, and Amina Zaidi, ARD activist, tendered their arrests outside the LHC. A large number of lawyers were also arrested on the occasion.
Similarly, fierce clashes were seen at Lahori gate, where PML-N workers took advantage of complicated architectural design of walled city and after pelting stones managed to escape in the streets.
Police also resorted to heavy teargas shelling, which not only forced the workers to disperse, but it also engulfed the houses, which were not very big and without any proper ventilation, making serious problems for the residents too.
About 300 workers of PML-N and youth wing had gathered over there and started chanting anti-government slogans.
The situation also forced the traders of the areas to bring their shutters down. As the police was unable to nab these workers, it resorted to teargas shelling at Circular Road and many other places.
In retaliation, they pelted stones on the police injuring many Jawans, while PML-N workers also sustained injuries.
Nobody courted arrest in this area, but the police apprehended some of the activists after chasing them. There was also information that the police also arrested some workers of Jamiat Mashaikh Pakistan from Bedian Road, while going to airport to welcome Shahbaz Sharif.
Those who were arrested from Airport included Maimoona Hashmi (MNA) and daughter of convicted PML-N leader Javed Hashmi, Sardar Hur Bokhari of PPP, Jehanzeb Gill MPA, Raja Nadir Parvez MNA and Ashraf Kaira MPA.
While two other prominent PML-N leaders Tahmina Daultana and Raja Ashfaq Sarwar were also arrested from Old Anarkali while on their way to reach the venue announced for the main procession.
It was also reported that former NWFP chief minister Pir Sabir Shah was also arrested before reaching Gujjar Khan on his way to Lahore.
Soon after his arrival, medical examination of Shahbaz Sharif was conducted in the presence of some senior officials, as he complained that he was not medically fit, to further travel to Saudi Arabia, but he was found fit.
It has been learnt that Shahbaz Sharif has been deported to Jeddah by force and some officials accompanied him in the plane.
A source close to Sharif family said Shahbaz Sharif landed in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday night.
Entry of general public as well as staff of the PIA, Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and other agencies was restricted to the airport.
"A large number of leaders and workers of PML-N, including Maimoona Hashmi, Siranjam Khan, Pir Sabir Shah, Tehmina Daultana, Iqbal Jhaggra, Ahsan Iqbal, Inam Ullah Niazi, Sardar Yaqoob Nasir, Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, party MNAs, MPAs and workers of the Alliance for Restoration of Democracy (ARD) have been arrested from across the country apart from severe torture inflicted by police jawans across the country," PML-N Chairman Raja Zafarul Haq said at a hurriedly called press conference at the Lahore Press Club.
PML-N considers that deportation of Shahbaz Sharif is not only contempt of the Supreme Court, but an act which would earn a bad name for the country, as a large number of representatives of foreign media were also humiliated by the agencies officials on their arrival here, Raja Zafarullah said.
He said his party is consulting lawyers, who contested Shahbaz's case in the Supreme Court and after due consideration, contempt of court petition would be filed, besides waging legal battle for release of arrested people.
"Tuesday is a historic day in the country's political history, which would usher in a new era of democracy and prosperity," he added.
He was of the view that action of the government of deporting Shahbaz Sharif is in violation of the Constitution and contempt of court of apex court of the country.
To a question, he said that the number of arrested people is in thousands and we would take all necessary measures for their release.
He said a meeting of the party is being convened soon to chalk out future strategy. He also ruled out any possibility of deal between the government and the Sharif family.
Moreover, all the roads leading towards the airport remained closed, while temporary police posts were established to stop PML-N activists to move towards their destination.
Public transport en route to airport was also not available. A large number of residents of the area of DHA, PIA, CAA staff and even passengers had to face great hardships in reaching airport.
Mian Hamza Shahbaz, son of Shahbaz Sharif, told Business Recorder that police did not allow him to reach airport from Ghazi Road.
He said that he was sent back to his Defence Road residence. A large number of journalists were also not permitted beyond Haj Terminal and those who forcefully tried to break the barrier had to face police highhandedness.
A monitoring team of Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) was also stopped near Corps Commander House and they were not allowed to move towards the airport.
One of the members of the team M. Irshad termed the police action as negation of democracy and gross violation of human rights.
Meanwhile, in a bid to stop the "welcome procession" to receive PML-N President Shahbaz Sharif, the government arrested hundreds of leaders and workers of the party and ARD after severe clashes between political activists and the police in Lahore on Tuesday.
In sporadic incidents across the city, there were clashes between the police and political activists.
The police resorted to indiscriminate baton-charge to disperse the crowd, in which many innocent people were also injured.
In response to the aggressive police tactics the political workers retaliated by stone pelting the police and setting tyres on blaze.
To control the situation, the police used teargas to force the political activists to disperse.
There were contrary claims of arrested people, as police sources said that the figure of arrested is in hundreds, while PML-N party sources are claiming it to be in thousands.
Nila Gumbad was the focal point in the city where the political leaders and workers of both PML-N and ARD, were to assemble in the afternoon to move in the shape of a caravan to receive the PML-N leader, to be led under the leadership of ARD.
However, heavy police was deployed at Nila Gumbad, to spoil the PML-N show, thus, they had cordon off the entire area. No one was allowed to enter into the vicinity, and if any one dared to enter, was arrested on the spot.
Many political leaders and workers, both local and outsiders, courted their arrests, while shouting pro-PML-N and Shahbaz Sharif slogans.
They were manhandled by the police and were not even allowed to talk to the media people, who were present in a large number.
A large number of human rights activists were also present on the occasion and they told the press that they would prepare a report on the incident to be released shortly.
Over 150 political activists were arrested alone in Nila Gumbad, who were taken to the nearby police station. It was observed that the police also arrested common people and on the intervention of the media people they were released.
Political leaders who were arrested included S A Hameed, Ahsan Iqbal, Khwaja Ahmed Hassan, Ayesha Murtaza, Gouhar Raza, Sohail Malik, Sami Ullah of PPP, Pir Mazhar Elahi, M. Ishtiaq, MPA of PML-N, Rao Tahir, Malik Waheed, Malik Ilyas, Muhammad Yaqub, Sardar Nasim, Ashfaq Ahmad, Din Muhammad Leghari and Hakim Fazal Karim.
Some of the PML leaders, including Tahir Chaudhry, managed to escape from the police, while Khwaja Saad Rafique, PML-N Lahore president, did not appear at all, although it kept informing the media on the mobile that he was coming to give his arrest.
At the beginning, the arrest were conducted in a peaceful environment, however, later the political workers led by their leaders resisted the arrests on which the police baton charged and forcefully dragged them to the police buses. Inamullah with his companions were also severely beaten by the police.
On his arrest, he said that the government had shown its real face and using the tools of state terrorism to suppress the freedom of expression.
Kamran Rizvi of MQM (H) travelled from Karachi to give his arrest and showed his party's full support to the PML-N and its president.
While talking to the press, he said that the government has acted against the norms of democracy and showed its intolerance to the freedom of expression.
The highhandedness on the part of the government angered the political workers and they started pelting stones on the police at the Lady McLagan Road and injured a few policemen, and set tyres on blaze.
Failing to control the situation, the police resorted to teargas, which gave the areas a war zone look.
The police had also cordoned off Lahore High Court (LHC) in order to deter the PML-N lawyers from taking out a procession, which later to be joined at the main procession at Nila Gumbad.
The lawyers showed their anger by pelting stones on the police from the LHC premises. In retaliation, the police also pelted stones back at the lawyers and in the process deliberately damaged the cars parked inside the LHC premises.
The political leaders, including Nawabzada Mansoor Ali Khan, ARD Vice President Nawaz Gondal of ARD, Manzoor Ali Gillani, a senior ARD leader, Talat Yaqoob, MPA of PPPP, Sajida Mir, a PPPP activist, and Amina Zaidi, ARD activist, tendered their arrests outside the LHC. A large number of lawyers were also arrested on the occasion.
Similarly, fierce clashes were seen at Lahori gate, where PML-N workers took advantage of complicated architectural design of walled city and after pelting stones managed to escape in the streets.
Police also resorted to heavy teargas shelling, which not only forced the workers to disperse, but it also engulfed the houses, which were not very big and without any proper ventilation, making serious problems for the residents too.
About 300 workers of PML-N and youth wing had gathered over there and started chanting anti-government slogans.
The situation also forced the traders of the areas to bring their shutters down. As the police was unable to nab these workers, it resorted to teargas shelling at Circular Road and many other places.
In retaliation, they pelted stones on the police injuring many Jawans, while PML-N workers also sustained injuries.
Nobody courted arrest in this area, but the police apprehended some of the activists after chasing them. There was also information that the police also arrested some workers of Jamiat Mashaikh Pakistan from Bedian Road, while going to airport to welcome Shahbaz Sharif.
Those who were arrested from Airport included Maimoona Hashmi (MNA) and daughter of convicted PML-N leader Javed Hashmi, Sardar Hur Bokhari of PPP, Jehanzeb Gill MPA, Raja Nadir Parvez MNA and Ashraf Kaira MPA.
While two other prominent PML-N leaders Tahmina Daultana and Raja Ashfaq Sarwar were also arrested from Old Anarkali while on their way to reach the venue announced for the main procession.
It was also reported that former NWFP chief minister Pir Sabir Shah was also arrested before reaching Gujjar Khan on his way to Lahore.
mola ali maded.
