PTI workers storm PML-N leaders’ news briefing outside parliament house

F.P. Report

ISLAMABAD: Activists of ruling Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaf (PTI) on Saturday stormed the news briefing of PML-N leaders outside the Parliament House and misbehaved with them.

The situation worsened to the point that former prime minister and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Shahid Khaqan Abbasi lost his cool when PTI workers pounced upon PML-N leader Musadik Malik during the latter’s press talk along with other party leaders at D-Chowk, Islamabad on Saturday prior to the National Assembly session at which Prime Minister Imran Khan was due to take the vote of confidence. Khaqan Abbasi reportedly slapped the PTI workers who had attacked Malik.  

Earlier, the PTI workers started gathering around the PML-N leaders during their media talk. Holding placards in their hands, they resorted to sloganeering while Shahid Khaqan Abbasi was chatting with the media. 

The PTI workers reportedly called Abbasi and other PML-N leaders ‘thieves’. They also shouted the slogan of ‘Go Nawaz Go’.  

The ruling party workers reportedly also hurled a shoe at PML-N’s Ahsan Iqbal and misbehaved with the media personnel.  

The PTI workers surrounded the PML-N leaders including Khaqan Abbasi, Musadik Malik, Marriyum Aurangzeb, Ahsan Iqbal, Rana Sanaullah and others when they were addressing the presser outside the Parliament.

The PTI workers holding placards to support Prime Minister Imran Khan raised slogans to condemn the corrupt practices of the past rulers as they were seen standing behind the PML-N workers during the media conference.

Khaqan Abbasi and Musadik Malik went furious over the interruption in their media talk. Abbasi vented his anger by slapping a PTI worker twice who was standing in front of him.

The worker slapped him back, however, the security officials came in and escorted Abbasi and Malik from the scene. Musadik Malik was also seen pushing behind the PTI workers. 

Abbasi later came back and criticised that they did not want any security and whoever having the courage to face him should come forward.

He said that political worker doesn’t abuse anyone and prefer to respond to opponents in the elections. He alleged that the ongoing session of the National Assembly was unconstitutional and illegal.

He blamed the president, prime minister and speaker National Assembly for the tense situation outside the parliament. 

The enraged political workers hurled shoes at the PML-N leaders. PML-N workers also gathered and started raising slogans, turning the situation tenser outside the Parliament. A large number of security officials deployed on the scene to bring the tense situation under control.

PML-N spokesperson Marriyum Aurangzeb accused the PTI workers of verbally abusing her. “We will not let this hooliganism continue,” she said. “Where is the interior minister who said that we won’t let them stand here. You think I am weak. We are here and you have fled.”

Expressing her resolve, she added that we will continue to fight these power, sugar and wheat thieves. PML-N’s Musadik Malik asked whether this was the state of Medinah Imran had promised where women are not safe.

“Marriyum Aurangzeb was attacked and abused,” he lamented “Where was the police of the state of Madinah when all this was happening,” he questioned.

He said these hooligans have fled and left the puppet premier on his own.