PAT to start countrywide protests, rallies from December 17

Rallies will be staged in to mark six months since the tragic Model Town incident took place

LAHORE: Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) announced on Tuesday that it will launch a countrywide protest campaign from December 17 against what they called ‘unfair’ constitution of a Join Investigation Team (JIT) to probe into the murder of 14 PAT workers in Model Town on June 17.

The decision was taken during an organisation meeting of the party held on the direction of PAT Chairman Dr Tahirul Qadri.

A spokesperson of PAT told The Express Tribune that they have finalised a strategy for holding protests in four provinces, and that this strategy will be announced on December 17.

He said December 17 would mark six months since the tragic incident took place in Model Town, adding that rallies would also be staged in different cities.

“[In the meeting it was decided] that we will take revenge for our workers. Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif by not making the judicial commission report public is admitting his guilt. Our allied parties will also be invited to participate in the protest,” he said.

The meeting was chaired by Shaikh Zahid Fayaz in which all provincial presidents, general secretaries and presidents of all wings participated. Leadership from Sindh, Balochistan, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan also attended the meeting.