Islamabad episode reflects PTI workers’ training, says Shehbaz

shah

LAHORE: PML-N president and National Assembly opposition leader Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday lashed out at the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf for the ruling party’s workers assault on senior leaders of his party in Islamabad, saying “this unacceptable behaviour is a reflection of the training given to them [workers] by their party leadership”.

“The attack on Marriyum Aurangzeb, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Ahsan Iqbal, Musaddiq Malik, Miftah Ismail and Rana Sanaullah was the most condemnable act. This recent string of attacks showed the desperation, frustration and true nature of PTI leadership that had resorted to violence when all other instruments of persecution failed,” Shehbaz said in a statement issued after he appeared on Tuesday before an accountability court in a money laundering case instituted against him by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).

Mr Shehbaz said the assault on Ms Aurangzeb exposed the brought-up of the PTI workers and that of their leadership.

Condemning the hurling of a shoe at senior PML-N leader Ahsan Iqbal, he said the episode disgraced Prime Minister Imran Khan, Speaker Asad Qaiser and reflected the attacker’s own moral values, or the lack thereof.

The opposition leader said: “The arrogant and ruthless Imran wants to avenge his failures and [showed his prejudice] by bringing the nation [to the point where people are] at daggers drawn.

It is utterly disturbing and sad that the nation is being dragged into anarchy, polarisation and moral degeneration for Imran’s petty political agenda and vengeance.”

He paid rich tribute to the PML-N leadership’s unwavering commitment to its political ideology, courage and high spirits.

He called on the nation to unequivocally condemn “this hooliganism of the PTI”, saying such actions were an alarming threat to the social harmony in the country.