Punjab police during the crackdown in Lahore's Model Town. PHOTO: MEHMOOD QURESHI/EXPRESS
Rejecting the sacking of the Punjab law minister and the principal secretary to the chief minister, PML-Q central leader Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi has called on Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Shahbaz Sharif to step down.
“For a transparent investigation, Nawaz Sharif and Shahbaz Sharif should tender their resignations along with their ministers,” Elahi told a news conference at his residence on Saturday.
He said the government would have to account for the death of 12 people, who were killed in clashes with the police outside Minhajul Quran Secretariat on June 17, adding that around 150 people have been missing since the crackdown.
“I have said this earlier and am saying this again that blood of the martyrs of Model Town tragedy has given an impetus to our movement which is not going to stop,” he said. “All political parties are on the same page vis-à-vis Model Town tragedy.”
Elahi alleged that the rulers had used police to eliminate political rivals in fake encounters. He blamed Nawaz Sharif and Shahbaz Sharif for the ‘Lahore bloodbath’. “They haven’t realised even after killing so many people what kind of advisers they have,” he added.
The PML-Q leader announced that a grand reception would be arranged for Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) chief Dr Tahirul Qadri at Islamabad on June 23. He claimed that the government was afraid of Qadri’s homecoming and wanted to spread terror so that nobody should go to receive him.
“If workers of the PML-Q, the PAT and Sunni Ittehad Council are tortured or their vehicles are stopped or damaged, PM Nawaz, CM Shahbaz, IG Police, RPO, DPO and DSP and all concerned officers will be responsible,” he warned.
He said his party has directed its workers that they should make videos of any negative activity of these officers and upload them on the social media. He said lawyers have also been directed to submit applications to the district and sessions judges, in case of non-registration of FIRs.
In reply to a question, Elahi said Shahbaz had made a mockery of the judicial commission. “An FIR was first registered against Tahirul Qadri’s son Hussain Mohyuddin even before investigation and later his name was removed from the FIR as he was on board a plane at that time,” he said.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 22nd, 2014.
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