Protests as PML-N’s ex-MNA Dogar arrested in Multan

MULTAN: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) former MNA Abdul Ghaffar Dogar was arrested on Sunday by the Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE), sparking protests from party workers and allegations from the PML-N leadership that it was done to discourage the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) from its Multan rally at the end of the month.

Dogar was taken into custody on allegations of fraud and the preparation of a forged agreement to sell a plot and cause losses to the government exchequer and a bank. Scores of PML-N workers staged a protest here and demanded Dogar’s immediate release.

PML-N District President Bilal Butt told protesters that Dogar’s arrest was political victimisation and an attempt to affect the PDM’s public meeting on November 30 in Multan.Reacting to the arrest, party vice president Maryam Nawaz said the “selected government of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) is trembling from opposition’s rallies” and vowed the PDM gathering will be held on its scheduled day and time.

“This puppet and selected government cannot dampen the spirit and morale of our workers,” she said. She added that Dogar’s “only crime was to promote the narrative of former premier Nawaz Sharif”.

“This government is so afraid of opposition that they start arresting our workers and leaders before every rally,” Maryam said, adding: “This government will have to go home.” She also shared pictures of Dogar with her and Nawaz Sharif along with her tweet.