Long march declaration: Presidential decree will include electoral reforms, says Qadri
MQI chief, govt representatives to meet on Jan 27 to finalise draft; says it doesn't require constitutional amendment.
A file photo of MQI chief Tahirul Qadri taken during one of his religious lectures.
LAHORE:
Minhajul Quran International (MQI) chief Dr Tahirul Qadri said on Saturday that a presidential ordinance will incorporate his demands for electoral reforms and parliament’s dissolution before March 16 so that elections can take place within 90 days.
The terms, outlined in the ‘Islamabad Long March Declaration’ and signed between Dr Qadri and government negotiators, will be finalised in the draft of the ordinance when the two sides meet on January 27 in Lahore.
Addressing a press conference, Dr Qadri said that his sole agenda was to bring in electoral reforms. The influential scholar added that he had spoken with a delegation of the PPP-led government in which it was decided that these changes did not require any constitutional amendment, rather it would be through a simple law passed by parliament or through a presidential ordinance. Until the National Assembly was in session, he said, the presidential ordinance could not be issued.
Dr Qadri said that keeping in view the possible outcry from the opposition parties, President Asif Ali Zardari might issue the ordinance. Once the draft is issued, he said, the Election Commission of Pakistan will be strengthened and his electoral reforms will be implemented.
Elaborating on the caretaker set-up, he said that he would float the names of two neutral persons as a caretaker prime minister in the meeting. Asked what MQI would do if the parliamentary committee on the appointment of the caretaker set-up decided against the opposition’s two proposed nominees, he replied that the declaration has raised awareness among the masses of what their rights are.
Two options
Dr Qadri said that he had two options had the government not responded to his deadline of holding talks by 3pm on Thursday. One was to storm parliament, to seize it and get his supporters in the building. The second option was to wait and prefer negotiations for the sake of democracy.
He said that despite the opposition parties spelling out a 10-point charter of demands and endorsing federal government action against Dr Qadri’s dharna, he preferred negotiations. He alleged that opposition groups wanted to sabotage the democratic system and even urged the government to not negotiate with him. He warned that had he stormed parliament after getting reports that law enforcement agencies were disinterested in taking action against the sit-in, the army could have declared martial law.
Qadri’s nationality issue
The MQI chief alleged that a bogus media campaign over his dual-nationality was stirred up by the media cell of Nawaz Sharif and his brother Shahbaz. He claimed that the cell, through an amount of Rs3 billion, had hired unknown journalists to malign him and to present bogus stories about his nationality.
Dr Qadri dismissed reports that the Royal Canadian Mounted Police summoned him for violating his oath while seeking asylum and added that he was not leaving the country. He also dismissed claims that he sought asylum on the grounds that he received threats from outlawed militant groups.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 20th, 2013.
Minhajul Quran International (MQI) chief Dr Tahirul Qadri said on Saturday that a presidential ordinance will incorporate his demands for electoral reforms and parliament’s dissolution before March 16 so that elections can take place within 90 days.
The terms, outlined in the ‘Islamabad Long March Declaration’ and signed between Dr Qadri and government negotiators, will be finalised in the draft of the ordinance when the two sides meet on January 27 in Lahore.
Addressing a press conference, Dr Qadri said that his sole agenda was to bring in electoral reforms. The influential scholar added that he had spoken with a delegation of the PPP-led government in which it was decided that these changes did not require any constitutional amendment, rather it would be through a simple law passed by parliament or through a presidential ordinance. Until the National Assembly was in session, he said, the presidential ordinance could not be issued.
Dr Qadri said that keeping in view the possible outcry from the opposition parties, President Asif Ali Zardari might issue the ordinance. Once the draft is issued, he said, the Election Commission of Pakistan will be strengthened and his electoral reforms will be implemented.
Elaborating on the caretaker set-up, he said that he would float the names of two neutral persons as a caretaker prime minister in the meeting. Asked what MQI would do if the parliamentary committee on the appointment of the caretaker set-up decided against the opposition’s two proposed nominees, he replied that the declaration has raised awareness among the masses of what their rights are.
Two options
Dr Qadri said that he had two options had the government not responded to his deadline of holding talks by 3pm on Thursday. One was to storm parliament, to seize it and get his supporters in the building. The second option was to wait and prefer negotiations for the sake of democracy.
He said that despite the opposition parties spelling out a 10-point charter of demands and endorsing federal government action against Dr Qadri’s dharna, he preferred negotiations. He alleged that opposition groups wanted to sabotage the democratic system and even urged the government to not negotiate with him. He warned that had he stormed parliament after getting reports that law enforcement agencies were disinterested in taking action against the sit-in, the army could have declared martial law.
Qadri’s nationality issue
The MQI chief alleged that a bogus media campaign over his dual-nationality was stirred up by the media cell of Nawaz Sharif and his brother Shahbaz. He claimed that the cell, through an amount of Rs3 billion, had hired unknown journalists to malign him and to present bogus stories about his nationality.
Dr Qadri dismissed reports that the Royal Canadian Mounted Police summoned him for violating his oath while seeking asylum and added that he was not leaving the country. He also dismissed claims that he sought asylum on the grounds that he received threats from outlawed militant groups.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 20th, 2013.