Frustrated Zardari and Imran wooing cautious Dr Qadri to remove Shahbaz

ISLAMABAD: After the disqualification of Nawaz Sharif, the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) are anxious to see Shahbaz Sharif out of power, and to achieve the target they desperately want Dr Tahirul Qadri to use his street muscle.

Qadri, however, is cautiously weighing his options in the light of his past experiences, both good and bad. A security source insists that Dr Qadri wants some “solid” assurances before going for the kill.

However, the PAT sources confided to The News that Dr Sahib is not really keen in staging another sit-in but is devising a strategy which instead of benefitting vested interest should help get justice for those Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) workers who were killed in the Model Town tragedy.

It is said that so far the PAT chief has not received any signal to start agitation. On the basis of his 2014 experience, the PAT chief is too cautious to believe in anyone’s word. Two key PAT leaders were approached, who, in their background discussions with this correspondent, agree that the party is not really keen to stage a sit-in. One of them completely ruled it out, while the other saw it as a less possible option, explaining if the PAT decided for a protest it would be in a different form. He added that if a decision is taken, this time the focus will be Lahore, not Islamabad.

One of the leaders denied that Dr Qadri staged the 2014 sit-in following a wink from some “umpire” but explained that the interests of two parties at times converges. The other leader, however, said that not only Dr Qadri had become extra-cautious after what he had experienced from the 2014 sit-in, but there are also no “solid assurances” coming his way either.The security official source also said that no signal has been given to the PAT chief. The source also confirmed that after his trust level was shattered in the past, Dr Qadri is really watchful this time.

The PTI and PAT had though never admitted that the 2014 sit-in was a result of some script, no less than the present foreign minister and former defence minister Khawaja Asif in a TV talk show blamed a top man of an important agency and his predecessor to have planned the 2014 sit-in as part of “London Plan” conspiracy against the PML-N government.

Later Mushahidullah Khan had also talked about the matter and hinted at the availability of some electronic evidence but that led to his immediate resignation from the cabinet. Khan was recently re-inducted in the Shahid Khaqan Abbasi’s cabinet.

Although PPP Co-Chairperson Asif Ali Zardari visited Dr Tahirul Qadri on Thursday evening and assured the PAT of his support besides vowing to stand by the party in its struggle against the PML-N government, Dr Tahirul Qadri was calculated in his response.The PAT sources said that their workers also have reservations vis-a-vis the PPP and Asif Ali Zardari. However, they consider the PTI a like-minded party. They are of the view that Dr Tahirul Qadri is sincerely pursuing the objective of getting justice for his martyred workers and for this he seeks removal of the Shahbaz Sharif government.

On the issue of Model Town killing, the PAT sources said that the PPP has always condemned the massacre. The PAT, it is said, welcomes and appreciates all those who offer their support to get justice for the Model Town victims but will chalk out the strategy that suits it.

Besides the PPP, the PTI chief in his speeches has also offered to join the PAT protest against the Shahbaz Sharif government. The PML-Q leaders Chaudhry Shujaat Husain and Pervaiz Elahi have also contacted Dr Qadri, who also held a meeting on Saturday with Pak Sarzameen Party leader Mustafa Kamal, and demanded the removal of Shahbaz Sharif and Rana Sanaullah.

Though the PAT has never made any impact in the electoral politics, but because of its street muscle and dedicated workers the opposition political parties are wooing it to launch a decisive protest to get rid of Shahbaz Sharif government.