PML-N Secretary General Ahsan Iqbal stated on Thursday that his party workers had been subjected to “state-sponsored violence” at the symbolic inauguration of the Karachi Green Line Bus Rapid Transit project.
As per the details, Iqbal, along with other party leaders had reached the site of the project for a symbolic inauguration, where the situation escalated after Iqbal was stopped from entering the site.
A video of the incident surfaced which showed Rangers personnel stopping the PML-N leaders from moving forward towards the pedestrian bridge built as part of the project.
It has been further revealed by PML-N Karachi chapter general secretary Nasiruddin Mehmood that PML-N workers also faced hindrances when they had tried to visit the project’s site earlier on Wednesday night, where private guards did not allow them to enter.
“When they [PML-N workers] were pushed back, they went and stood at some distance,” Mehmood said, adding that after Iqbal reached the site in the afternoon, he was also stopped by paramilitary personnel.
Mehmood further stated that when they told law enforcers that they were there only for the symbolic inauguration of the project, security personnel said they had been asked by the federal government to stop them.
“Ahsan Iqbal was beaten with sticks twice and a leader from the party’s women wing, Perveen Bashir, suffered bruises on her finger when she was hit,” he said, adding that party leader Sorath Thebo also fell down amid the ruckus and suffered injuries.
“We were peacefully demonstrating and did not want to challenge the writ of the state and yet, we were subjected to [authorities’] high-handedness,” he said.
Mehmood stated that around 200 to 250 PML-N workers were present on the occasion and they were “pushed back and baton-charged”.
Later, Iqbal while addressing the media stated that “A security institution tortured [our] political workers,” adding that one of his party’s workers had been injured in the incident.
He further revealed that he had been hit on his arms with sticks, while PML-N workers had been subjected to “state-sponsored violence”
Iqbal went on to criticise the government for “using force against unarmed political workers but appearing helpless when dealing with terrorists”.
He further alleged that the incumbent government had been using a law enforcement agency for political purposes the same way it had been using police.
The PML-N leader said the way his party was treated on the occasion was “condemnable”.
“We are glad that [we] spilled our blood for this inauguration,” he remarked. “I have been shot before and I take pride in the fact that my blood has been spilled once again in Karachi.”
PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif also condemned the incident and demanded an investigation into the matter and action against those responsible.
“Ahsan Iqbal and PML-N workers being subjected to baton-charge, torture and ill-treatment is condemnable and unfortunate,” he said. “Political workers being tortured is unacceptable.”
He further alleged that “Rangers used force against PML-N leaders and workers on the directives of Prime Minister Imran Khan”.
It is pertinent to note that the Green Line project has suffered several hiccups over the years since its groundbreaking in February 2016. The project was originally estimated to get completed within a year with an estimated cost of Rs16.85 billion funded by the federal government.
However, it took more than five years and Rs35bn to finish and years of frustration, stress and painful experiences of hundreds of thousands of Karachiites who had to trudge through main Shershah Suri Road every day during the painfully slow construction of the project.
Iqbal while speaking about the Green Line project stated that it was launched by the PML-N government in 2016 and its foundation was laid by then prime minister Nawaz Sharif. He added that the project was supposed to reach completion in 2018, alleging that its execution was delayed because it was initiated by his party.
Referring to Planning and Development Minister Asad Umar’s announcement of Prime Minister Imran inaugurating the Green Line project on December 10 (tomorrow), he commented: “Those who have been unfairly claiming a right to the project will come tomorrow.”
Iqbal further commented that Karachiites were facing troubles due to the city’s poor transport infrastructure.
The Green Line project, he said, could not even be completed in three years.
“But we are glad that this government has been taking credit for projects launched by the PML-N,” he added.
Earlier, Iqbal also criticized the PTI-led government for “ruining the progress of Karachi started by the PML-N government in the past”.
Iqbal said the PML-N had worked for the betterment of Karachi even after it did not get many votes from the metropolis, highlighting that Pakistan’s progress was linked to Karachi’s progress.
“We had improved the economy of Karachi,” he said, adding that today the metropolis needed water, electricity and cleanliness and peace. “If these facilities are provided to this city, it could become Shanghai,” the PML-N leader stated.
