Abid Sher Ali forced to leave stage in awards show

LONDON: Former Federal Minister Abid Sher Ali was forced to leave the stage at an awards ceremony here after protest of the workers and office bearers of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI here in west London on Saturday night.

The 17th Pakistan Community Achievement Award was being bestowed upon the people who have achieved extraordinary successes in their relevant fields.

Former Federal Minister Abid Sher Ali was guest among the other participating dignitaries in the event. As soon as he was called on the stage to distribute the award to a member of Pakistani business community, PTI workers, including Zahid Raja, Zahida Noori, Zainab Raja, Anwar Saeed and Muhammad Tanveer started chanting slogans.

The protestors were demanding of Abid Sher Ali to leave the stage, but he carried on. Trouble started after Mr Rehman walked on the stage and refused to take award. That encouraged other PTI workers in the hall to raise slogans and join in.

The organiser of Award Asif Saleem Mitha told the audience that Abid Sher Ali is his guest and has right to participate like others. He handed over the mic to Abid Sher Ali, who delivered the speech throughout a noisy atmosphere. Abid Sher Ali made the speech and said it was unfortunate that PTI had turned a non-political event into political one.

He said that PTI workers were showing the training they had received from their leadership. Abid Sher Ali, after completing his speech, left the stage while chanting the slogan “Nawaz Sharif Zindabad”.

Abid Sher Ali left the ceremony after an hour. Talking to this correspondent, Abid sher Ali said that he was not forced to leave the stage. He said, “The news items are circulating in media in this regard are not based on reality. We should promote the cause of Pakistan out of Pakistan. We shouldn’t set bad examples for the young generation.

Muhammad Tanveer, who raised slogans in front of the stage, said that he was a supporter of the PTI and he protested because PML-N leaders have been involved in mismanagement of Pakistan. He said Abid Sher Ali should not have been called to the stage to make a political speech.