Qadri declines govt's invitation to dialogue

PAT chief says his one and only demand is to bring democratic revolution in Pakistan

LAHORE: In a bid to pacify the growing agitation against the ruling government, Punjab Governor Chaudhry Muhammed Sarwar on Tuesday told Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) chief Tahirul Qadri by phone that the Centre was ready to discuss his demands, Express News reported.

Sources said that Qadri declined Sarwar's invitation to dialogue and said that his party does not have any demands that the government can address, adding that he cannot talk to the Sharif brothers.

The PAT chief said that his one and only demand is to bring a democratic revolution in Pakistan.

According to reports, the federal government had asked Sarwar to speak to Qadri on their behalf in an attempt to get him to call off his Inqilab March.

Qadri, on August 3, had predicted the fall of the government before the end of August. The PAT chief had also announced that his party would observe a Youm-e-Shuhada (Martyrs Day) on August 10 to honour those who had died in the Model Town clashes in which over a dozen PAT workers were killed.