June 23 homecoming: Qadri arrives in London en route to Islamabad

PAT chief claims Punjab CM ordered June 17 crackdown on his supporters.

LAHORE:

Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) chief Dr Tahirul Qadri on Saturday claimed that Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif had ordered the June 18 deadly police crackdown on his party workers at the central secretariat of Minhajul Quran International.

Addressing a press conference via a video link from London — where he arrived on Saturday from Toronto — Qadri said that the Punjab police gunned down unarmed and innocent people.

“The so-called political and democratic governments have violated democracy, law and human rights and the country is rife with corruption of the so-called democratic governments,” he said, adding that it was the worst kind of dictatorship in the country which was run by ‘Gullu Butt’. “In the past elections were rigged — but this time the whole election was purchased,” he said, referring to the May 2013 general election.



Qadri said his agenda was based on law and the Constitution. He said that he initiated a movement on December 23, 2012 from Minar-e-Pakistan and now PAT workers had started a revolution with their blood.

The PAT chief claimed that the office of the prime minister was run by Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif and national institutions were being used for personal gains. “Every state institution is politicised and no institution can act independently,” he added.

Qadri said that from day one he knew the government would create hurdles in his way “but the voice of truth cannot be suppressed”.

He said he would reach Pakistan on June 23 come what may. “I’m a Pakistani national and no one has any justification to stop me,” he added.  Qadri is due to catch a flight to Islamabad, where he will reach in the morning of June 23.


Published in The Express Tribune, June 22^nd, 2014.