Long march will not be bought out: Qadri

MQI chief stormed out of meeting with PML-Q leaders after Malik Riaz accompanied the latter.

LAHORE: Drama ensued at Tahirul Qadri’s house in Lahore on Saturday evening when the Minhajul Quran International chief stormed out a meeting the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) leaders after business tycoon Malik Riaz turned up, Express News reported.

Qadri initially told media gathered outside his house that he was having his hair trimmed as he waited for the evening meeting. He was told that Malik Riaz had accompanied other members of the delegation led by Chaudhry Shujaat. At this, Qadri stormed out and vowed that given the presence of Malik Riaz in such meetings usually carried the perception that the negotiating party would be tempted with money.

“I am the murid (disciple) of Sheikh Abdul Qadir Gillani, even if you put all the wealth of the world together, Tahirul Qadri's shoe cannot be bought,” he declared.

However, soon the confusion regarding Malik Riaz’s presence was cleared. Riaz said that he had arrived in good faith, and that in the interest of continuing negotiations with the government he would leave.

The MQI chief apologised and explained his position that the modus operandi adopted by the politicians and rulers was such that false notions circulated with Malik Riaz around. “If I had met with or even was seen in the presence of Malik Riaz, the media would have twisted it out of context,” Qadri said, adding "It does not merit that the movement be subjected to such labels."

“The situation is such that I cannot put the reputation and integrity of the march under doubt.”

PML-Q chief Chaudhry Shujaat conceded that they had not given advance notice about bringing Malik Riaz to meeting. But he pointed out the positive role Riaz had played in the society including getting Pakistani sailors held by Somali pirates released by paying part of their ransom.

Deputy Prime Minister Pervez Elahi said that they have been talking to the president and prime minister about the demands put forward by Qadri. “We want to solve this amicably. We talked to the Prime Minister and President on the charter of demands that Qadri presented and were hoping to solve this today.”

The meeting resumed after Malik Riaz left.

Legal snags

Elahi added that during negotiations there were some legal complications over some of the demands.

“So we sat down to give a legal face to this and how to implement this.”

The deputy prime minister added that they were working on forging a mechanism to implement the changes demanded by Qadri. “For implementation as well we want to see how to give it legal cover and implement this legally.”

The MQI chief said that the government had time till the march reaches Islamabad on January 14 to present a formula or framework through which the demands would be implemented. He ruled out that the march will be cancelled or postponed and that it could be “bought out.”

No one is safe

Elahi, who seemed resigned to the fact that the march will go through, said that they wanted maximum security for those participating in the march.

“Terrorism and such are not in the hands of any one. No one is safe.”

“We are on the path of settlement, and hope nothing happens in which lives are lost,” he added.

Correction: An earlier version of this article misspelled shows in the photo caption. The error is regretted.