Qadri refuses to join PTI in Raiwind march

Says it could endanger security, peace

LAHORE: The Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) chief, Dr Tahirul Qadri, has parted ways with his political ally Imran Khan over his plan to stage a sit-in outside Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s residence in Raiwind, scheduled for September 24.

He announced on Saturday that his party would not join Imran Khan’s march on Raiwind.

“I have decided that we will not encircle anyone’s residence as attacking houses is a tradition of the Sharif brothers,” Qadri said while addressing a press conference.

“The march and sit-in at the Raiwind residence could endanger security and peace. It is the ruling party which is known for attacking the homes of its opponents. The forces of Nawaz Sharif attacked our offices and homes and killed innocent men and women.

“But we don’t want to be like them. We have decided in principle not to go to Raiwind with other opposition parties despite immense pressure from the PAT workers and leaders,” he said while addressing a press conference on Saturday.

Qadri said his party would rather approach the courts and pray before the Almighty Allah to give justice to the families of Model Town martyrs.

He said his movement was aimed at making the rulers realise the importance of morality and understand that nothing could be achieved through violence and terrorism. He said he opposed any form of violence and it was the reason he would never go to anyone’s home to protest or damage any property, even to his biggest enemies or political opponents. He said his party’s line of action on the second phase of Qisas movement would be made public after the Anti-Terrorism Court’s decision on the PAT’s petition for registering of a case against the rulers was announced.

Dr Qadri predicted that very important developments were about to take place in the next few days. He alleged that the ruling party planned to declare the PAT and Tehreek-e-Minhajul Quran terrorist organisations to escape justice in the Model Town killing case. He asked the Pakistan Army, intelligence agencies and Rangers to be aware that the rulers planned a new Model Town tragedy only to get the PAT involved in it. He said new fake cases including money-laundering and illegal arms would be registered against the PAT and TMQ.

Dr Qadri alleged that police planned to enter their offices and homes on the pretext of search operation during the Eid holidays in order to plant currency, illegal arms and other illegal items to claim that it were recovered from there. But, he said, the ISI, Military Intelligence, Rangers, Inspector General of Punjab Police and DIGs were welcome to visit our offices any time, without prior information, and see for themselves what was there in our offices not only in Lahore but anywhere in the country. He alleged that rulers now planned to register money-laundering and illegal arms cases against the PAT.

Qadri said the masses in the province had lost all faith in the Punjab Police and the PAT workers would resist any move by the police to enter the PAT and TMQ offices or homes.

He said the PAT and TMQ preached peace through education and rejected all forms of violence. “We teach our students never to speak of violence or touch any ammunition or firearms.” He said we are working to change the mindset of the people of the country to shun and reject any form of violence, terrorism and extremism and understand our religion, which preaches peace, love and tranquillity. Dr Qadri said he did not receive any defamation notice from court on his allegations that Indian agents were working in the Sharif family mills. He said the Ramazan Sugar Mills offices were gutted soon after his press conference to erase the proof and no public service ambulance was allowed to enter the mills except for only two private ambulances. He said the masses were kept in the dark about what that fire destroyed just like no one was allowed to enter the operation theatre in London where PM Nawaz Sharif had a heart surgery.

Dr Hassan Mohiyuddin Qadri, Dr Hussain Mohiyuddin Qadri, Khurram Nawaz Gandapur, Noorullah Siddique, Shehzad Naqvi, Jawwad Hamid and others were present during the press briefing.