Angry Pakistanis attack ex-premier Shehbaz Sharif's vehicle, hurl abuses in Lahore

Pakistan's former prime minister Shehbaz Sharif's vehicle was attacked by a group of angry people who hurled abuses at the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) president in Lahore, the provincial capital of Punjab province, once considered a stronghold of his party.

'Citizens attacked the vehicle of former premier Shehbaz, breaking the windshield and hurling abuses at him in Lahore late on Wednesday night,' Express News reported on Thursday.

It said Shehbaz was touring the city in connection with the upcoming elections with the aim of connecting with the people of his constituency. However, a mob intercepted his vehicle and lashed out at the premier.

Videos of the incident went viral on social media.

On Thursday, Shehbaz said that he met with representatives of the people that intercepted his vehicle and heard their concerns.

'Yesterday, some people from my constituency stopped my car and explained their problems. Today, I invited their representatives, heard the problem of their area and assured to solve it. According to me, politics is a form of worship,' he wrote on X.

Shehbaz, the younger brother of former three-time prime minister Nawaz Sharif, has also served as chief minister of the country's most populous and politically crucial Punjab province thrice before becoming prime minister.

The coalition federal government led by Shehbaz vacated office on August 9. His government has been heavily criticized for skyrocketing inflation and political turmoil.

Pakistan's election commission last month announced that the general elections will take place in the last week of January 2024.