Maryam, Safdar booked for violating COVID-19 SOPs en-route Gujranwala rally
Lahore’s Shahdara police station has registered an FIR against PML-N Vice-President Maryam Nawaz, her husband Captain (retd) Muhammad Safdar Awan and other party leaders and workers for “violating coronavirus SOPs” and “damaging public order” on way to the Gujranwala rally organised by the Pakistan Democratic Society.
The rally was held in Gujranwala on October 16.
The complaint states that the leaders had blocked the Shahdara Chowk in Lahore when they were heading towards the rally’s venue with with two big cranes and a truck. This disrupted traffic and created problems for residents. “Loudspeakers and microphones were also used unnecessarily.”
The FIR read that the PML-N leaders were involved in “extreme sloganeering against the government” which incited the supporters present on the venue.
Over 2,000 PML-N leaders and supporters such as Malik Riaz, Samiullah Khan, Pervaiz Rashid, Rana Mohammad Iqbal, Rana Mohammad Hayat, Rana Sikandar Hayat, Rana Mubashir Iqbal, Mohammad Zubair, Mirza Javed, Bilal Yasin, Saiful Malook Khokhar and Colonel (retd) Mubashir have been named in the FIR as well.
None of the workers or leaders were wearing masks or maintaining social distance. Bad traffic jams also ensued in the city after road were blocked, it added.
The case has been registered under sections 269, 270, 290 and 291 of the Punjab Maintenance of Public Order Ordinance, 1960, and sections 6 and 16 of the Punjab Sound Systems (Regulation) Act, 2015.
Earlier, a similar case was registered against 100 organisers of the Pakistan Democratic Movement’s rally in Gujranwala for violating the coronavirus SOPs and blocking roads.
Another case was also registered against Safdar for “violating the sanctity of the Quaid’s mausoleum” in Karachi. He was arrested on October 19 and was later granted bail by a court.
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