Political temperature in Sharif family's stronghold and the provincial capital Lahore remained conspicuously cool and normal after Supreme Court's unanimous and stunning verdict disqualifying Nawaz Sharif to hold public office under Article 62 (1)(F) and section 99(1)(F) of the Representative of Peoples Act 1976 on Friday.
Majority of the Members of the National Assembly and Provincial Assembly, Mayor, Deputy Mayors, Chairmen and members of the local councils elected on the PML-N tickets in Lahore remained out of scene throughout the day except a few small gatherings of party workers in front of the Data Darbar, on the Mall road and Chungi Amar Sidhu and some other places who mildly protested against Nawaz Sharif's ouster as Prime Minister. Heavy rain in the city gave an excuse to the half hearted PML-N workers to remain in door.
However ousted Prime Minister's daughter Maryam Nawaz remained quite active on the social networking website Twitter. In her comments at 2.32 pm she said "Another elected Prime Minister sent home, but only to see him return with greater force & support & soonest Insha'Allah. Stay strong PML-N. At 3.pm she twitted "today will pave the way for Nawaz Sharif's resounding victory in 2018. He will be unstoppable. Insha'Allah. Rok sakte ho to rok lo!
Workers of Imran Khan's PTI, Jamaat-e-Islami and Dr Tahirul Qadri's PAT were jubilant over the Apex Court's historic judgment paving the way for accountability of once invincible Nawaz Sharif and his siblings and Finance Minister Ishaq Dar. Workers of Jamaat-e-Islami, also a petitioner in the Panama case observed Friday as Thanksgiving Day. The party led by Senator Sirajul Haq is observing today as "Yaume Azam", to express its resolve to continue its struggle till around 450 people named in the Panama leaks were also brought to accountability.
Pakistan Peoples Party workers remained subdued as if the party has missed the bus. However commenting on the verdict chairman Bilawal Bhutto said "Pakistan has won; not any party. The rule of law is the utmost priority of everybody and the money laundered out of the country should be brought back. It is obligatory upon all to accept the verdict whole heartedly.
In a statement PML-Q president and former Prime Minister Ch Shujaat Hussain said that historical verdict has proved that after Allah Almighty even five men can take the country in the right direction. In a statement Chairman Pakistan Awami Tehreek Allama, Dr Tahirul Qadri congratulated the Pakistani nation and said the larger bench of the Supreme Court has given a historic unanimous judgment and disqualified a dishonest man to hold public office. He also thanked members of JIT, the legal community, anchors, journalist and political workers who made efforts to rid the country of corruption.