Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) held a protest here on Friday against President Asif Zardari for giving the prestigious Quaid-i-Azam award to US Assistant Secretary of State Richard Boucher and demanded a public apology. PTI Women Wing's Punjab president Soloni Bokhari led the protest.
The protestors observed that Richard Boucher is part and parcel of the American establishment and its policy has resulted in the killing of innocent people of Pakistan, including women and children. "Besides this, his contribution has been in abetting in the action against the Muslims in Palestine, Lebanon, Afghanistan and Iraq. We strongly condemn the killing of innocent people in Ghaza. Boucher's only other contribution may have been, to be a part of the deal brokered to bring in Zardari in power through NRO," they added.
According to them, the PTI does not recognise any other hand involved in the removal of Musharraf, other than the people of Pakistan, spearheaded by the lawyers' movement. Thus, Zardari should refrain from hurting the sentiments of the nation by giving such important awards away.
Also present on the occasion were PTI Punjab general secretary Shamsa Ali, information secretary Talath Naqvi, general secretary Lahore Nuzhat Mashadi, joint secretaries Punjab Yasmeen and Naseem Zehra, senior vice president Lahore Shawana Basir, joint secretary Lahore Huma Faisal, Sadia Saif city president and other party members.