Kaira responds to each of the four demands put forward by Tahirul Qadri and questions their credibility. PHOTO: PID/FILE
ISLAMABAD: Information Minister Qamar Zaman Kaira scoffed at Dr Tahirul Qadri and the demands he had put forward during his long march in Islamabad on Wednesday.
Speaking on behalf of the government, Kaira responded to each of the four demands put forward by Qadri and questioned their credibility. “He wants the government, assemblies, parliament and the election commission to be dissolved and then get the caretaker government to himself... But if all these things are dissolved, then how will new things be formed?”
Kaira claimed that Qadri wants consultation of army and judiciary in the formation of the caretaker setup but doesn’t tell how it can exactly be done. “The old system of caretaker government doesn’t exist anymore. Things are structured now.”
“He [Qadri] says he respects the chief election commissioner, but also says that he is 86 years old and not capable of handling rigging. So what do you need – a pehlwan to use force against rigging?” Kaira questioned. He added that the four officials of election commission, whose credibility was questioned by Qadri, were former judges and were appointed constitutionally by the parliament.
“He [Qadri] said that the government is in the ‘bunkers’ and not with the people. Where is he sitting himself right now?” Kaira said while mocking Qadri’s bomb-proof truck in which he has been residing during the march.
Advice for Qadri
Kaira offered advice to Qadri for bringing change in the country. “You should provide your manifesto, register your party, renounce your Canadian citizenship, become eligible to run for elections, summon votes, get a 2/3rd majority, come to the assembly and then bring a change through the Constitution.”
The minister said that Qadri will be welcomed if he chooses this path, but playing with peoples’ emotions and using religion for his purposes is improper.
He appealed to Qadri to spare the women and children from his march. “Mothers with their infants are at the march braving the severe cold.”
COMMENTS (35)
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It was a manufavtured revolution with a determund mission of world mission to deal with terrorism . All will have to appriciate the efforts of maulana Qadery except by their supporters
Landline service is way more reliable than cell phone service. Because blocking of mobile phones service is now become a habit and this blockade continues for hours at a time. This could be catastrophic in an emergency. So we should believe in landline service and do not underestimate it. Stay blessed.
Qaira was good but why is his boss hiding?
The way Kaira and Malik conduct their press conferences or interviews is like look we are at the top of the world and looking down at you and we know how to use the law (have to say cleverly) to protect our interests and who ever says something about us, Zardadri Sahab's (hijacked PPP) party or against OUR constitution is against OUR DEMOCRACY (i mean which pays off for everything we want). So, don't even think about depriving us off our (free) luxuries funded from tax payers money and loans from all over the world.
I hope common sense prevails this time and AWAM makes the right choice in the coming elections and never allow these or any other thugs to come into power again.
@Sterry: @sabi: Good points made by Khaira. I agree with you.I hope you check my post again.
Well spoken Kaira sahab: Inshallah the next Prime Minister of Pakistan post elections!
@SM:
Rehman Malik has already submitted the certificate of renunciation in Court. How else do you think he is still a senator!
After so much bashing from media for TUQ, i have started to like him. Media is trying to protect the muk muka system.
@Ali Hasan: I would disagree. These protocols creates distance between a common men and rulers. A PM is directly answerable to Pakistanis wheather they are Shias/Hazara of Quetta or dual national Qadri by the standards of democracy and Islam. The only exception is the criminals and government should not negotiate with them.
The question Mr. Kaira should be asking is Why interior ministry gave Qadri Sahab a permit to held Islamabad hostage indefinately.
Kaira sahib, I hope we don't have to see for long.
game to install mushraff
How ironic that PPP is against dual nationals now.
@Ch. Allah Daad
"Chaudhry" sahid .. there are women and infants among those people. What do you mean by kick them out? haan? Be civilized...
What about the dual nationality of Rehman Malik? Not only he is British, he is the Interior minister of Pak.
@sabi: Good points made by Khaira. At last he has spoke sensibly against this Tahirul Qadri character who feels he has some devine right to bring chaos and anarchy to Pakistan. Where were Tahirul Qadri's morals when he worked with Benazir and Musharraf? How can Tahirul Qadri be allowed to come back to Pakistan only a few years after running away to Canada and swearing allegiance to the British Queen? Since he had to swear allegiance to the Britisdh Queen and constitution of Canada, why can he not respect the constitution of Pakistan? If he did this in Canada, he would be put in jail!
WELL SAID Kaira SHAB
what he forgot to mention is that most higher leaderships of PPP also have dual citizenship. Instead of criticizing Dr. Qadri legitimate demand:-
(1) get a real degree first and then run for office in the general elections.
For once i think even PTIans will also support Kaira.
Instead of giving advice to this new avatar govt should show the guts by arresting this import from Canada and allow the democratic forces to bring changes thro peoples mandate
Let them or their allies to rule for another five years. Democracy is nothing if you minus these so called democratic parties, owned, operated and run by families. Let them rule to deprive people from their basic rights and needs. Let them wipe out oil, gas, electricity, water, food and even all poor from the country. Let them rule to support terrorism by not passing even a single bill to counter terrorism. Let them rule to protect this democracy which is only them....
@PakSurzameen: I was also sad hearing those Quetta comments, but now I can understand his point. He said, you can put demands before PM, but can't dialogue with him. It looked inappropriate in Quetta, but these remarks are truly justified if you see these in Qadri's scenario, where he said that he will only dialogue with PM and President. He did not want to have PM set a precedence of Negotiating protesters in Quetta; since it would have been then referred and demanded by Qadri as well. So his statement even in Quetta makes sense.. :)
Kaira nailed it which is highly unexpected from the PPP Government - Glad to see both govt/opposition and other political parties behaving so maturely and democratically. Long live Pakistan
The setting up of a neutral and competent caretaker government is not only a Constitutional but also very importantly a democratic imperative. To assure continuation of democracy, at least, the Government should speedily nominate a caretaker. Announcing a plan of transition at this time would help bring about normality.
/// “You should provide your manifesto, register your party, renounce your Canadian citizenship, become eligible to run for elections, summon votes, get a 2/3rd majority, come to the assembly and then bring a change through the Constitution.”///
Great words by Qamar. Only if these clerics could evolve out of their beards to understand this simple democratic concept, Sigh !
Nice reply to the Qadri's Drama
what a press conference. legendary!
Logical he spoke :)
Kaira Sahab, just like your PM, Qadri sahab don't negotiate. so be it.You lose my respect after your Quetta comments, sir.
Kaira sahib, when will Rehman Malik and others renounce their foreign citizenships? Provide proof not the garbage you have been submitting to the Supreme Court as proof (which God knows why the Court accepts as evidence).
Kaira ridicules him or he is ridiculing himself!.
Well-spoken Kaira!
I am against of Qaira But i totally agree of what he said. Qadri did not chose the right way. Also he is playing with the emotions of innocent people by using religion. This is not way. He himself hide in a bullet proof container. Revolution cannot come in this way. He has to come on the same level.