Click to play videoNew Delhi: On Sunday afternoon, the walled city of Lahore turned into a virtual war zone.
Pakistani police used teargas shelling and baton charge on scores of opposition protesters and lawyers.
Ordinary Pakistanis, including retired bureaucrats, human rights activists, students, and teachers too got the heavy end of the Zardari stick.
Chairperson of the Pakistani Human Rights Commission, Asma Jehangir said, “There was a barrage of teargas shells on me. The lawyers, who were near me, picked them up and threw them, right back. There is a lot of anger because what people have been saying here is that we had voted for democracy, we had not voted for Zardari's rule.”
Pakistan’s province Punjab is like a sealed territory as all entry and exit points sealed but the crackdown looks weak. Almost, as though in a gesture to let off steam, the police withdrew from GPO chowk in Lahore.
Nawaz Sharif was allowed to leave his home and lead thousands of his supporters in a cavalcade through the city to Lahore High Court.
The show of strength was impressive as Sharif was greeted by a sea of people carrying flags.
He addressed his followers by saying, “I warn all these people (the administration) to pull out all the restrictions because these restrictions are illegal. They cannot chain me with illegal restrictions.”
The District Commissioner of Lahore who has quit his office to join Sharif's rally is also scheduled to make an appearance.
The scenes are eerily reminiscent of the 2007 anti-Musharraf protests.
Prominent lawyer Aitzaz Ahsan said this was a testimony to the perseverance and persistence of the lawyers.
“There is going to be no closure of the issue unless there is unconditional reinstatement of Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhary,” warned Aitzaz Ahsan.
In contrast to Lahore, Islamabad was deafeningly silent.
Lawyers and political activists who were supposed to gather at the district courts were held back by barricades. Opposition leaders like Shahbaz Sharif and Imran Khan, both in Pindi, kept a low profile.
Shahbaz Sharif said, “Mr Zardari unfortunately has gone back on the resolutions, and he has made a laughing stock of himself as well as shamed the Pakistani community before the world.”
Chief of the Tehreek-e-Insaaf, Imran Khan said, “As per the plans Miyan Nawaz Sharif was to lead the long march from Lahore which he has already set out on. Qazi Hussein Ahmed, Shahbaz Sharif and I were to take over a march from Kachehri Bazaar onwards towards Islamabad at 10 O’ Clock tomorrow. God willing, we will take a sea of people towards Islamabad tomorrow.”
The army is out and is keeping a watchful eye. The paramilitary has been deployed to protect President Zardari and Prime Minister Gilani. Mobile phone services have been jammed.
The stage seems set for another, possibly deadlier showdown in Pakistan’s capital.
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