Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Saturday cast his vote in the local government election at a polling station in Union Council 70 in Lahore amid tight security.
Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Saturday cast his vote in the local government election at a polling station in Union Council 70 in Lahore amid tight security.
Mr Sharif’s arrival sparked a protest as authorities stopped the polling for an hour before arrival of the Prime Minister.
Television footage showed scores of male and female voters, most probably staunch supporters of the ruling party, queued up outside the polling station as authorities prepared for the high-profile visit.
When asked as to why the voters were not allowed to enter the polling station, a senior police official came up with a bizarre explanation that entry door of the station was closed to keep the media at bay.
Mr Sharif’s arrival was expected at 3:30 pm (local time), but the polling at the aforementioned station was stopped much before 3:00 pm.
Sajda Mir, a Member of the Punjab Assembly belonging to the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), staged a protest outside the polling station, chanting slogans against the Prime Minister.
The venue was echoing with slogans “Go Nawaz Go” as voters joined the angry PPP lawmaker, demanding the Prime Minister to give the people right to vote. As if it was not enough, some PML-N supporters decided to counter the PPP lawmaker by chanting slogans in favour of the premier. While this was happening outside the polling station, Nawaz Sharif reached the polling station and cast his vote without any disturbance. He came out from the polling station smiling and waving to his supporters, and left the area without talking to media. Meanwhile, on Saturday, PPP chief Bilawal Bhutto cast first vote of his life, in the Local Bodies elections, being held in eight districts of Sindh and 12 districts of Punjab. Strict security measures were adopted when Bilawal cast his vote in a polling station of Larkana, stronghold of PPP. All the voters were forced to leave the polling station due to security for the PPP leader.
