Banners, flexes displayed in city, declaring Ayaz Sadiq a traitor

LAHORE: Unidentified persons displayed banners and flexes on The Mall and in different localities of NA-129 constituency against former speaker National Assembly Ayaz Sadiq, terming him a traitor.

In the flexes Ayaz Sadiq’s picture was merged with Indian pilot Abhinandan, who was sent back to India after being arrested by Pakistani security forces. The banners and flexes were attributed to “Patriotic People, NA-129”. The banners were inscribed with the slogan of "Mir Jafar Mir Sadiq, Ayaz Sadiq."

In some banners, he was termed "Modi's friend, a traitor". Reacting over the development, Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) leaders alleged that the banners were put up by Punjab Minister Aleem Khan, who lost election against Ayaz Sadiq.

The PML-N leaders and workers were seen expressing anger over the issue on the social media. Nawaz Sharif's spokesman and former Sindh governor Muhammad Zubair, in his response, said the government attitude was intolerable and unacceptable.

Khwaja Saad Rafique said the PML-N knew where the flexes and banners were made. “You are crossing all limits in the political dispute,” he warned the government authorities. Azma Bukhari said the process of distributing certificates of treason should be stopped. She said all complainants in the cases of treason had turned out to be notorious criminals.

“Provincial Minister Aleem Khan has done this to avenge his three-time defeat at the hands of Ayaz Sadiq. These banners are only in Ayaz Sadiq's constituency, which clearly shows that this is Aleem Khan's mischief,” she claimed and added that the patriotism of those who insulted Ayaz Sadiq could be gauged from the fact that they had posted pictures of Modi on the streets.