Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is once again receiving public backlash. This time, he is getting criticized for his “on-stage dance” during a political gathering in Kasur mere hours after the horrific Nawabshah train tragedy.
With only a few days left before his government ends, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif kicked off an election campaign trail on Sunday as he addressed a large crowd in Kasur, listing his government’s performances and promising much more if his party was elected into power again.
He vowed that if his party regained power after the elections, it would bring “revolutionary changes” in the agriculture sector, extract minerals worth billions of dollars and equip youth with the latest tools of information technology.
Read more: Shehbaz Sharif slammed for irresponsible statements against First Lady
During the Kasur rally, Shehbaz Sharif joined in his followers’ excitement at PML-N’s election campaign being launched and did an “on-stage dance”. Videos of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif clapping his hands while swaying to the crowd’s chants are going viral on social media.
Netizens did not appreciate the premier’s enthusiasm during the Kasur jalsa as it was bad optics considering the horrific Nawabshah train tragedy that took place earlier in the day.
Interestingly, the prime minister addressed the huge gathering at a time when the Kasur district administration had imposed section 144 of the CrPC in the district that prohibits public gatherings.
He is the PM of Pakistan. This is all happening on the same day when more than 30 people have died in a train crash, in the same country just few hours ago.
pic.twitter.com/gvVQKzoELj— Ihtisham Ul Haq (@iihtishamm) August 7, 2023
40 بندے ٹرین حادثے میں مر گئے لیکن وزیراعظم کے جلسے میں بھنگڑے.. شرمناک pic.twitter.com/U8swKXpjWj
— Anwar Lodhi (@AnwarLodhi) August 6, 2023
This is when a national tragedy has happened earlier in the day. This joker PM is dancing. No empathy and sense of remorse or responsibility. Typical sharif traits https://t.co/i43lxRkjVW
— Omar Mahmood Hayat (@omarmahmoodhay1) August 7, 2023
Death toll from train derailment rises to 30 with 90 injured, and the PM of Pakistan is dancing away in a PML-N jalsa in Kasur, celebrating IK'S arrest and indulging in self glorification. Media coverage of Showbaz's speech was a priority but not the train wreck or lives lost. 😡 pic.twitter.com/uCY1CqHgCz
— Nosheen Saeed (@stickwithchick) August 6, 2023
نواب شاہ ٹرین حادثے میں درجنوں لوگ مارے گئے،قوم سوگ منا رہی ہے اور یہ ہمارے ملک کا وزیراعظم بھنگڑے ڈال رہا ہے،یہ قوم اسی طرح کے حکمران deserve کرتی ہے ۔۔۔! کوئی شرم کوئی حیا؟ pic.twitter.com/BiJt8q9aJJ
— Shahid Haq Nawaz🇵🇰 (@ShahidHaqNawaz_) August 6, 2023
Dancing of SS/PM in Kasur jalsa just exhibits his complete in sensitivity to 33 public deaths in train accident on same day. He should offer public apology .
— Rao Manzar Hayat (@ManzarRao) August 7, 2023
Hazara Express accident
At least 30 people were dead and over 100 sustained injuries when 10 bogies of Hazara Express traveling from Karachi to Rawalpindi derailed near Nawab Shah. The injured and bodies were transferred to People Medical University (PMU) Hospital in Nawabshah.
DS Railway Nasir Khalili said trains are facing 12-18 hour delay after the Hazara Express accident. The passengers are being accommodated in the trains and those who don’t want to travel are being refunded the full amount of their tickets.
Read more: Deadly train crash in Greece
Meanwhile, Minister for Railways and Aviation Khawaja Saad Rafique has raised suspicions of sabotage as the potential cause behind the train accident in Nawabshah. Khawaja Saad Rafique said the ‘sabotage’ and ‘mechanical fault’ cannot be ruled out in the major train accident as it was moving on the normal speed.