Big parties indicate who is behind Imran-Qadri team up

ISLAMABAD: Representatives of big parties, including the PPP and PML-N, on Monday strongly indicated who was behind Qadri’s joining hands with Imran against the government once again.

Political pundits believe that the announcement of Dr Tahirul Qadri to join the ‘shut-down Islamabad’ protest of Imran Khan once again shows that a certain kind of parties known for their affiliation with particular people have joined hands against a democratic government.

The political pundits having a close eye on the recent political maneuverings in the country believe that the PTI’s solo flight against the government suits Imran Khan. However, the announcement of Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) to join the PTI protest will not only harm his cause but the masses would once again see a conspiracy against the democratically-elected government.

Not only PAT, but the Shuhada Foundation (Lal) Masjid has also hinted at participating in the PTI protests. However, according to its statement, the final decision would be taken by its Shoora in the next two days.

Besides the PAT, Shuhada Foundation (Lal Masjid) and Difa-e-Pakistan Council have also announced to hold a rally on October 28 to express solidarity with the people of Kashmir. The statement of Difa-e-Pakistan Council says that the October 28 rally is also against the government’s action against some of its leaders whose names have been included in the Fourth Schedule. Though Difa-e-Pakistan Council and Jamaat-ud-Dawa spokesperson Yahya Mujahid, while talking to The News, categorically said they would not be a part of any anti-government protest campaign yet they had earlier declared that they would be on roads whereever corruption was committed.

Talking to The News, Yahya Mujahid said neither would his party nor would Difa-e-Pakistan Council participate in PTI’s protests campaign against the government. When asked whether the rally of October 28 of Difa-e-Pakistan Council could be extended till November or if there were any such plans that the member parties of Difa-e-Pakistan Council would join the November 2 protests, he said their party and Difa-e-Pakistan Council would not be part of any such campaign.

However, contrary to the analysis of political pundits, the PTI leadership says its campaign is against the corrupt government and not against the democratic system. Talking to The News, PTI’s spokesman Naeemul Haq said that party chairman Imran Khan had telephoned Dr Tahirul Qadri and both the leaders had discussed the upcoming Islamabad sit-in. He said Dr Qadri agreed to support the PTI sit-in. However, the modalities of the campaign would be decided later after meeting their party leaders.

On the other hand, Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed was not invited by the leadership of Difa-e-Pakistan Council in a recently held meeting. The News had contacted him and asked whether he would convince the Difa-e-Pakistan Council leadership to join hands with the PTI in the anti-government protests, but he was not optimistic.

However, just within two days after Dr Tahirul Qadri’s announcement, Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed, while talking to Geo News, claimed if Imran Khan agreed, he would bring the Difa-e-Pakistan Council to the protest against the government. He said not only Tahirul Qadri and Difa-e-Pakistan Council, he could also bring the Shia community and other religious parties to the anti-government campaign.

The political pundits believe that within two days, the political scenario of the country has totally changed as many religious and some like-minded parties have joined hands and it needs to be studied which elements are behind this unification.