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Javed Ashraf's Qul

PML(N) workers,

cops exchange

bricks, tear gas

at Lohari Gate

LAHORE: The entire area from Lohari Gate to Shah Alam Chowk turned into battle field when bricks and tear gas shells were exchanged between the PML(N) activists and the police party soon after the Qul ceremony of late Javed Ashraf, Political Secretary to Mian Shahbaz Sharif.

The Qul ceremony of Javed Ashraf was held at Muslim Masjid Lohari Gate at about 11:00 am. PML(N) chief Mian Nawaz Sharif, Senator Chaudhry Shujat Hussain, Javed Hashmi, Khawaja Riaz Mehmood, Akhtar Rasool, Mian Abdus Sattar, and a number of MNAs, MPAs and local leaders besides party workers attended the Qul ceremony.

Just after the Dua about 12:35 pm the PML(N) activists present outside the Muslim Masjid threw bricks on the police party present on the other side of the road near Lohari police station. The police without wasting any time fired tear gas shells on the processionists. This situation continued till about one and half hour. In the first fifteen minutes the police party fired about 14 tear gas shells towards Muslim Masjid to disperse the processionists. But the processionists divided themselves into groups and spread away from Lohari Gate to Shah Alam.

The three feet high grill between the Circular Road played an important role of a line between the police party and the PML(N) activists as it was difficult for both police and processionists to cross the grill. The processionists were pelting stones on the police from left side of Circular Road while police was throwing tear gas shells from right side. The activists also returned most of the burning tear gas shells towards the police.

PML(N) chief after Qul ceremony left the site in his vehicle by giving directions to the activists present on the road to remain in action against the corrupt and incompetent government of Benazir. Javed Hashmi while addressing the activists from his vehicle announced that war between government and opposition will continue till the ouster of the present rulers. He said that joint opposition fighting for the safeguard of the country and every leader and worker of PML(N) was ready to sacrifice his life like Javed Ashraf for the integrity and stability of Pakistan.

As soon as the main leadership of PML(N) left the area the processionists blocked the Circular Road by burning tyres on the road which caused great difficulties for smooth flow of traffic in the city.

One of the tear gas shell-hit a shop of hardware goods located at 183 Circular Road which caught fire, but the fire brigade immediately extinguished the fire. The police party claimed that fire had broken out as result of a petrol bomb fired by PML(N) activists.

One police sub-inspector Manzoor received serious brick injuries near Shah Alam Chowk and was shifted to hospital. The police also arrested three activists of PML(N) namely Saleem Akhtar, Ahmad Raza and Muhammad Akram at Shah Alam Chowk.

CONDOLENCE MEETING

Meanwhile PML(N) Punjab will organize a meeting at Muslim League House here on April 09 (Wednesday) to condole the death of party's local leader, Javed Ashraf, a PML(N) spokesman announced here Sunday.

Senior Vice President, PML(N) Punjab, Mian Muhammad Azhar will be the chief guest on this occasion. The meeting will be addressed among others by Muhammad Arshad Khan Lodhi, Sardar Zulfiqar Ali Khan Khosa, Javed Hashmi and Mian Abdul Sattar.-PPI/APP