Imran, Zardari to attend PAT protest on different platforms

PTI spokesman says PTI and PPP have big differences over several issues, but were gathering for justice

LAHORE: It is for the first time that two arch-rivals - Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan and Pakistan Peoples’ Party (PPP) Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari - will appear at a public gathering on the Mall Road on Wednesday. However, they won’t share the same stage as the steering committee of the All Parties Conference (APC) has segregated the programme into two sessions.

Nearly 40 opposition and religious parties, led by the Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT), have been called to take part in today’s protest being held to seek justice for the families of the victims of the Model Town carnage.

Speaking at the news conference held on Tuesday, PTI Central Spokesman Fawad Chaudhry said that PTI and the PPP have big differences over several issues, but today’s gathering was aimed at ensuring justice for families of the Model Town tragedy.

“It is neither an alliance nor a political gathering. All opposition parties are gathering on a single point agenda to seek justice for families who lost their loved ones in the firing by the police in 2014,” he maintained.

“Zardari is a mafia and it was our mistake to support the PPP in the past. We will not share the stage with Zardari. He requested the APC steering committee to segregate the programme in two sessions,” he said. He added that the PTI chairman will address the second session while Zardari will participate in the opening session. PAT Chief Dr Tahirul Qadri will remain present in both the sessions.”

He went on to say that there is no chance of any alliance between the PTI and the PPP. “Although it is a one-day demonstration, the protest will come to an end with the resignations of Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif. There is a little difference between Shehbaz and Taliban as both believe in killing their opponents.”

Talking about the Zainab case, Chaudhry said five girls were abducted, raped and killed in Kasur last year, but neither the police nor the government took any action to arrest the suspects.

In September 2017, opposition leader in Punjab Assembly Mian Mahmoodur Rasheed had presented a resolution in the provincial assembly, but Punjab Assembly Speaker Rana Iqbal and Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah did not allow opposition parties to speak on the pressing issue, he pointed out.

He underscored that there is no breakthrough is in the Zainab’s case as yet. Shehbaz and the police have settled the dust instead of providing justice to victim’s family. Chaudhry said it has become a standard practice in Punjab to open fire on peaceful protesters if they raise their voice against the government. The police opened indiscriminate fire on the protesters in Model Town and also on people who protested in front of the Kasur deputy commissioner office after Zainab was found dead, he added.

Instead of arresting the suspects of the Kasur killings, the PTI spokesman alleged that police killed three people in fake encounters. He appealed to the chief justice of the Lahore High Court to order a record of all fake police encounters as extra-judicial killings had become a matter of routine practice in the province. The police department’s failure to arrest suspects shows non-professionalism and negligence of the force, he added.

Chaudhry also criticised the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), saying if the commission did not correct its role, the party would have to announce its future course of action. “The role of the commission is very controversial. The ECP issues notice to the PTI chairman over petty issues. It is also sending notices to the PTI leadership over Ayesha Gulalai and Akbar’s applications, who are in open deviation from the party discipline,” he said. On the other hand, the commission has given a free hand to the ruling party, he said, adding that being a major political party, PTI did not agree with the present role of the commission.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 17^th, 2018.