Accuse Minhajul Quran International chief of trying to derail democracy.
Provincial assembly members of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa on Tuesday lashed out against Minhajul Quran International (MQI) chief Tahirul Qadri for his long march to the federal capital and demanded that action be taken against him for trying to derail democracy.
Provincial information minister Mian Iftikhar Hussain maintained the army should clarify its position regarding any affiliation with Qadri. Hussain said the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) had earlier stated the army has nothing to do with Qadri. “It should send out a message again.”
He also critcised the Supreme Court’s judgment calling for the arrest of Prime Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf in the rental power plants case. Hussain said the apex court’s move will strengthen undemocratic forces in the country, adding that “everyone knows who is pulling Qadri’s strings.”
Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) parliamentary leader Abdul Akbar Khan demanded the courts to take action against the MQI chief and alleged Qadri of trying to subvert the Constitution. “A high court declared him dishonest in the 1990s. How can he speak of implementing articles 61 and 63 on lawmakers.”
“It is not 1977 or 1999, when some political parties welcomed undemocratic forces. Today, all parties, media, intelligentsia and civil society are on one side and they are all against these forces,” he said.
Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid’s (PML-Q) parliamentary leader Haji Qalandar Khan Lodhi said Qadri was disregarding the mandate of the country’s 180 million people by calling lawmakers corrupt.
Lodhi also flayed the provincial government of Punjab and the federal government for allowing Qadri to march on to Islamabad. “Isn’t he challenging the state’s writ? It was the government’s weakness. It should not have allowed him [to carry on with the long march],” stressed Lodhi.
Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl leader Mufti Kifayatullah warned Qadri’s action could trigger a clash between institutions. He also questioned the decision to impose governor’s rule in Balochistan.
“It appears to be pre-planned. Qadri should explain whether he is Tahirul Qadri or Tahir Kiyani,” said the JUI-F lawmaker.
Taking a jibe at Qadri, PPP lawmaker Nighat Orakzai said there was no shortcut to becoming a prime minister.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 16th, 2013.
COMMENTS (6)
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I salute Mr. Qadri and the people representing the whole nation there, all knows the government is corrupt but all the political parties become allies. Did anyone sees the real faces of all the political leaders of your party? They all are corrupt. Only one man is standing against all devils. We are with you Mr. Qadri, May Allah grant you success.
@Khattak that's all you can think, Punjabi...Punjabi...Shame on you. Think Pakistan for a change.
@Khattak: khatak ,you look like a desperate person and envoy of punjab as usually person like you think.it is clear that you are a lame thinker.i want tell you that there are thousands from peshawar for your kind information.talking on this topic why you forget that kpk is the host of taliban from the entire world and the lord of narcotics round the world.just think positive if u can.
Its a shame. A foreign Punjabi Mulla brings 50,000 punjabi Taliban to Islamabad from his Madrassas. I don`t think that there is a single Non-Punjabi participant in this march. All the government machinery is stuck up as a result. This is another dark face of Punjabi establishment. They can do anything to this country to keep their dominition.
Regards KHATTAK
Atleast he is doing what we should have done years ago.
What a small media coverage to the Pakistani elected leaders compared to the foreign import Qadri. This difference of coverage says it all.