Islamabad will become a ‘peaceful’ Tahrir Square on Jan 14: Tahirul Qadri
Altaf Hussain appeals to the armed forces to support the 'revolution' instead of hindering it.
Dr Tahirul Qadri arrives at a public gathering in Karachi on January 1, 2013. PHOTO: ATHAR KHAN/EXPRESS
KARACHI:
Minhaj-ul-Quran International (MQI) chief Tahirul Qadri addressed a rally organised by Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) in Karachi on Tuesday.
The rally titled “Safar-e-Inqilab-e-Pakistan” was held at Jinnah Ground and was also addressed by MQM chief Altaf Hussain via telephone from London.
During the rally, Qadri thanked Altaf and the MQM for accepting his party's invitation to join the "million-man march" to Islamabad in order to "give rights back to the poor".
Qadri said that he had invited all religious and political parties of the country to join the march but only the MQM responded positively.
Qadri announced his party’s manifesto during the rally and said that Islamabad was about to become Tahrir Square on January 14. But, he stressed, the revolution will be peaceful.
Responding to allegations of being backed by a “foreign agenda”, Qadri said that those spreading this “propaganda” were liars. “My mission is to uphold the Constitution of Pakistan. My mission is to restore Jinnah’s true democracy.”
He also denied allegations of a hidden agenda behind the fact that the MQM was supporting him. “There is no agenda behind us. Our agenda is ahead of us... Our agenda is January 14, our agenda is the elimination of feudalism and capitalism.”
“We want a caretaker government which is totally impartial, powerful and honest and possesses the courage and the political will to bring electoral reforms,” he stated.
Qadri dispelled rumours that he initiated the movement to pave way for becoming the caretaker prime minister. “The purpose of this movement is to bring a totally impartial caretaker government.”
He said that his party wants elections to be contested between people who are declared eligible by the Constitution.
“I want to tell the national institutions of Pakistan and the 180 million people: we do not deny politics. This address is for the sake of restoration of clean politics.”
Earlier during the day, Qadri was welcomed by a large number of his party workers on his arrival at the Karachi airport. Qadri had then visited MQM headquarters Nine-Zero, where he met with the party’s coordination committee.
Qadri also spoke to Altaf on the phone during his visit to Nine-Zero.
Qadri, who returned to Pakistan after a five-year-stay in Britain, has set a three-week deadline for the Pakistan Peoples Party-led government for electoral reforms, or face a “million-man march” on January 14. The deadline was announced in a huge rally arranged in Lahore on December 23.
Altaf appeals to army to support march
Altaf, addressing the rally, appealed to the armed forces of the country to support the “revolution” instead of trying to hinder it.
“I also ask all other institutions of the country to stand with us,” he said, while requesting the Punjab government to provide security to Qadri.
Altaf said that only those people can find solution to problems who have themselves gone through them. “Our public march is not meant to delay elections or to derail democracy. In fact, this public march is meant to save Pakistan; to seek reform in Pakistan’s electoral system according to the Constitution and to make the country stronger and prosperous.”
Altaf said that he has found an elder brother in the form of Tahirul Qadri in his effort to give the poor their rights.
Minhaj-ul-Quran International (MQI) chief Tahirul Qadri addressed a rally organised by Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) in Karachi on Tuesday.
The rally titled “Safar-e-Inqilab-e-Pakistan” was held at Jinnah Ground and was also addressed by MQM chief Altaf Hussain via telephone from London.
During the rally, Qadri thanked Altaf and the MQM for accepting his party's invitation to join the "million-man march" to Islamabad in order to "give rights back to the poor".
Qadri said that he had invited all religious and political parties of the country to join the march but only the MQM responded positively.
Qadri announced his party’s manifesto during the rally and said that Islamabad was about to become Tahrir Square on January 14. But, he stressed, the revolution will be peaceful.
Responding to allegations of being backed by a “foreign agenda”, Qadri said that those spreading this “propaganda” were liars. “My mission is to uphold the Constitution of Pakistan. My mission is to restore Jinnah’s true democracy.”
He also denied allegations of a hidden agenda behind the fact that the MQM was supporting him. “There is no agenda behind us. Our agenda is ahead of us... Our agenda is January 14, our agenda is the elimination of feudalism and capitalism.”
“We want a caretaker government which is totally impartial, powerful and honest and possesses the courage and the political will to bring electoral reforms,” he stated.
Qadri dispelled rumours that he initiated the movement to pave way for becoming the caretaker prime minister. “The purpose of this movement is to bring a totally impartial caretaker government.”
He said that his party wants elections to be contested between people who are declared eligible by the Constitution.
“I want to tell the national institutions of Pakistan and the 180 million people: we do not deny politics. This address is for the sake of restoration of clean politics.”
Earlier during the day, Qadri was welcomed by a large number of his party workers on his arrival at the Karachi airport. Qadri had then visited MQM headquarters Nine-Zero, where he met with the party’s coordination committee.
Qadri also spoke to Altaf on the phone during his visit to Nine-Zero.
Qadri, who returned to Pakistan after a five-year-stay in Britain, has set a three-week deadline for the Pakistan Peoples Party-led government for electoral reforms, or face a “million-man march” on January 14. The deadline was announced in a huge rally arranged in Lahore on December 23.
Altaf appeals to army to support march
Altaf, addressing the rally, appealed to the armed forces of the country to support the “revolution” instead of trying to hinder it.
“I also ask all other institutions of the country to stand with us,” he said, while requesting the Punjab government to provide security to Qadri.
Altaf said that only those people can find solution to problems who have themselves gone through them. “Our public march is not meant to delay elections or to derail democracy. In fact, this public march is meant to save Pakistan; to seek reform in Pakistan’s electoral system according to the Constitution and to make the country stronger and prosperous.”
Altaf said that he has found an elder brother in the form of Tahirul Qadri in his effort to give the poor their rights.