Qadri's clarification: PAT revolution is not a PTI tsunami, will not be suspended

Qadri says if those in command on day of clashes are removed his workers will appear in front of tribunal.

LAHORE: Differentiating between his stance and a Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) tsunami, Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) chief Dr Tahirul Qadri said on Thursday that the purpose of his revolution was to bring about a total change in the system of the country according to the first 40 articles of the Constitution.

Denying any knowledge of a possible suspension of PTI’s tsunami, Qadri added that his revolution will not be suspended at any cost. He further added that the PTI tsunami is a small component of his party’s revolution.

“I cannot understand the move of tsunami and Khan sahab can tell better about it. What I want to say is that there is no chance of deferring our revolution.”

While addressing a press conference at Minhajul Quran Secretariat, he said that he is in direct contact with the representatives of his party to finalise the date of the revolution.

The PAT chief said that he has heard that the PTI chief Imran Khan wants to bring reforms in the electoral process but said that the agenda of PAT revolution is much bigger than that. Adding that electoral reforms cannot change the system, he said even changing the election commissioner cannot bring a difference, alleging that the Sharif brothers will buy the election commission again and the poor will keep waiting for their constitutional rights.

Qadri said according to the preamble of the constitution, people of Pakistan are the real rulers of the state and have the right to choose rulers of their choice. Thus, the rulers are responsible for providing basic necessities of life and means of earning to them. Saying that the present rulers have failed to meet these constitutional duties, Qadri declared their presence as illegal, unconstitutional and unethical.

Model Town Clashes

Talking about the judicial tribunal probing into the Model Town clashes between his supporters and the police, Qadri said that since the beginning he had rejected the constitution of the judicial tribunal thus, it holds no importance.

Qadri further alleged that the tribunal was continuing 'one-sided proceedings' after their boycott. Clarifying that he did not doubt the judge, he said that the tribunal could be fair had Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif been removed from his position as under him no action can be taken on merit.

The PAT chief told Justice Ali Baqar Najfi, head of the tribunal that if the chief minister, his chief secretary, home secretary, IG police, DIG, SSP and all others in command on the day of the clashes are removed from their posts he would appear before the tribunal.

The PAT chief said since the tribunal summoned conversation records of Shahbaz with other officers, the Punjab government has also lost confidence in the tribunal. He said the government has removed tribunal’s secretary to instate someone who will favour them and said that the next step will be the removal of the tribunal.

“Tribunal should have ordered for registration of FIR on the complaint of  PAT supporters,” he said. He said that on June 20 the Punjab home department gave the tribunal the mandate of finding those responsible of the incident but in a later notification issued on June 27 the home department withdrew this mandate from the tribunal. Qadri said the that tribunal should have resigned then.