2nd phase of Qisas Movement soon

PAT to convene all parties conference

LAHORE: The Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) will call an all parties conference (APC) after August 28, in which opposition parties will be invited to discuss a future strategy for the second phase of the party’s Qisas and Accountability Movement.

PAT workers told The Express Tribune that party chairman Tahirul Qadri would address protests in 15 cities on August 28 after which the APC would be convened. “A final decision will be taken there. Qadri will probably lead the protests himself,” PAT information secretary Noorullah Siddiqui said.

The PAT has been contacting opposition parties to participate in its rallies. Former chief minister Dost Muhammad Khosa will participate in a PAT rally in Dera Ghazi Khan on Thursday (today). Shaikh Rasheed will lead this rally and PAT general secretary Khurrum Nawaz Gandapur and Qadri will join via video link. Zulfiqar Khosa’s elder son Saifuddin Khosa, who is in the PTI, will also attend a party meeting. Several leaders of Pakistan Peoples Party and Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid are expected to participate in the rally.

“Shaikh Rasheed is contacting opposition parties on behalf of the PAT. They will be taken on board to finalise a strategy for the second phase of protests.” On August 28, the PAT will hold a rally in Karachi.

“We will not stop this movement till we get justice for martyrs of the Model Town carnage. Incidents of terrorism and statements related to it are all connected,” Qadri said on Wednesday.

He said enemies of Pakistan were attacking it from all sides. The only hurdle in the great game to destabilise Pakistan was the Pakistan Army and its patriotic citizens. “Those who care about the country should join our movement and rid the country of these corrupt and untrustworthy politicians,” Qadri said. He said petroleum prices had plummeted by 70 per cent globally but fuel prices had been slashed a mere 35 per cent in Pakistan. “The government has deprived the citizens of the benefit from the falling prices for the last three years.”

He said Pakistan’s rulers were not sincere towards people and the country.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 25^th, 2016.