National Hockey Stadium turf removed for PTI power show

LAHORE: After rendering thousands of sportspersons jobless during its tenure with the closure of departmental sports, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, led by former cricket captain and ex-prime Minister Imran Khan, has now taken another leap forward by announcing an assembly of its ‘Haqeeqi Azadi jalsa’ at the National Hockey Stadium, Lahore.

The PTI planned to hold its jalsa at Parade Ground Islamabad Aug 13 but fearing chaos in the federal capital, it was shifted to Lahore. The PTI instead of holding it at Minar-i-Pakistan or some other venue of the provincial metropolis, chose a sports venue, the National Hockey Stadium, where under directions from Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi-led government the turf was being removed Wednesday to prepare for the public gathering.

Social media, private YouTube channels and twitter were blazing with reports of damage being done to the turf and the stadium alike with the PTI power show coming Saturday in which the Punjab government and the Sports Board Punjab are a major parties.

Shiraz Hassan Wednesday took to the twitter and shared a picture in which astro turf of the National Hockey Stadium was being removed. He also wrote ‘Removing Astro Turf from Hockey Stadium Lahore - Because a political gathering will be held in the ground. This is the state of sports in Pakistan - Hockey? Forget it’.