LAHORE: Pakistan Awami Tehrik (PAT) chief Dr Tahirul Qadri has once again threatened to wage a decisive round of agitation against the government if he found that no course to justice in the Model Town killings case was left for poor victims.
He was addressing via telephone from Canada a PAT rally on Friday which was taken out from Aiwan-e-Iqbal to Lahore Press Club to press for the demands of making public the inquiry commission report of Justice Baqar Najfi in the Model Town killings case.
The rally comprising men, women and youths was also addressed by leaders of different opposition parties, including the Leader of the Opposition in Punjab Assembly Mian Mehmood-ur-Rasheed. The slogan chanting and banners waving protestors marched on the Egerton Road which created a traffic blockade on all adjoining roads, including Empress Road, Abbot Road and Davis Road.
Addressing the participants, Dr Tahirul Qadri termed the Model Town killings the worst kind of state terrorism and alleged that rulers were fully involved in the merciless killings of innocent workers.
He warned that rulers would find it impossible to save their skin if the heirs of the victims took to the streets on his call. He said he was waiting for the decision of judiciary with the hope that it would hold the killers accountable. He said if justice was not done in Model Town killings case the rulers would easily get away with the cases like Panama Leaks.
Mian Mehmoodur Rasheed, Khurram Nawaz Gandapur, AMLP leader Fatima Atif Malhi, Majlis Wahdat Muslemin leader Hasan Kazmi, JUP-Niazi leader Dr Amjad Chishti, Minority Alliance secretary Dr Samuel, Basharat Jaspal, Sajid Bhatti, Jawad Hamid, Mazhar Alvi, Zara Malik, Mir Asif Akbar and Hafiz Ghulam Farid also spoke on the occasion.
Reports indicate that they tried to breach one of gates, harassed staff, and even scaled walls of premises
Nasir praised role of Interior Minister Syed Mohsin Naqvi, who controlled situation with tolerance
A fierce exchange of fire ensued, but culprits managed to escape under cover of darkness
Police said booked leaders and BYC workers gathered at main Turbat Chowk
Mobile internet outages became common fixtures during protests by PTI since Imran was ousted in 2022
Bokhari emphasised that cases have been registered against "Fasadis", and no one will be spared