PPP leader suggests Qadri get voted into the parliament and then talk about change. PHOTO: FILE
Federal Minister Qamar Zaman Kaira on Saturday advised Minhajul Quran International (MQI)’s head Dr Tahirul Qadri to approach the Election Commission of Pakistan if he had any suggestions or reservations about the elections “like all political parties do”.
He was talking to reporters after a cake cutting ceremony to mark the 85th birth anniversary of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) founder.
He suggested that Qadri get voted into the parliament and then talk about change.
Kaira did not rule out ‘negotiating’ with Qadri. “If the PPP can talk with the Taliban then why not with Qardi?” he said. He asked Qadri to make up his mind whether or not he wanted to take part in the elections.
The federal government, he said, wanted to make the ECP more powerful “but the only way [to do that] is through the parliament”. He asked why Qadri was insisting that the commission amend its rules when it couldn’t do so.
Kaira said that though everyone had a right to protest, action could be taken against anybody who took the law in his hands. “Qadri should keep in mind that he might paralyse the state’s functions by his long march,” he said.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 6th, 2013.
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@Ali Asghar: Mr Qadri is trying to be a politician and religious leader at the same time. You can not do tah in this day and age. He is a Canadian national now. He is trying to be citizen of both countries at the same time. As a Canadian national, he can not hold any political office in Pakistan. He has been living in Canada for the last Six yrs. He must release his tax returns which he must have filed with Canadian tax dept. What has been his source of income. When he moved to Canada few yrs ago, how much money he moved from Pakistan and did he pay tax on that money? All politician in Pakistan are corrupt unless proven other wise. No politician has shown his tax return .To prove they are not corrupt , they have to show tax return of themselves. Their spouse and their business's.. In some cases we have to see their children tax return. Mr Qadri is now behaving like a politician, so he falls under same criteria. So he is corrupt unless proven other wise. I can not give benefit of doubt to any politician.
"Go to election commission"...for what? He is here to disrupt elections, not to contest elections. Anti democracy forces do not want elections and Qadri is working on their behalf. Everything is in black and white.
Dr Tahir ul Qadri is fighting for the rights of the Pakistani people. Every person who loves Pakistan has a right to speak for Pakistan. Foreign Pakistanis send around 10Billion US dollars annually to Pakistan, so i believe its a cheap propaganda against Dr Tahir ul Qadri by Nawaz Sharif Pro Extremist party by calling him a foreigner. So many Pakistani students who claim to love Pakistan get a UK indefinite leave to remain and then get UK nationality. They still love Pakistan and defend Pakistan whenever they can. What is a big crime by calling for the electrol system to improve, this another words mean to get rid of loop holes where the corrupt poltiical elites cut their ways through to the parliament. This wil greatly benefit PTI and other new parties, it will also benefit those patriotic youths who want to join politics or stand as independant. But its a shame how many Pakistanis are falling for the PPP, PML N propaganda to defend the system and by using person attacks against Dr Tahir ul Qadri it exposes them as why attack a person personally, why not disuss about the electrol system. I am sure whole Pakistan wants a better electrol system, so please CHANGE the system before the election, its ridiculous to believe we should change it after the elections, its a trick. May Allah protect our blessed Pakistan. We love you