No more concessions: PAT refuse to budge on their demands

No one can deny us success if we stand firm, Qadri tells supporters.

ISLAMABAD:

Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT)chief  Dr Tahirul Qadri on Sunday told his supporters camped along Islamabad’s Constitution Avenue to remain steadfast in order to ensure their mission is successful.

“If you remain firm [in your protest], no one can deny you success,” he told protesters at the PAT sit-in.

Qadri refuted claims that his party had shut the door for talks with the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government. “We never slammed the door for negotiations… I would not refuse to meet even Nawaz or Shahbaz Sharif,” he said.

PAT had earlier refused to engage in talks with the government until Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif resigned. However, there was a shift in strategy on Sunday and Qadri met Railways Minister Khawaja Saad Rafique. Sharing details of his meeting, the PAT chief said, “I told him [Rafique] that we are ready to talk… they [the government] are responsible for the deadlock.” He added that Rafique told him the government is now willing to talk about Model Town.

While signalling his willingness to engage in talks with the government, Qadri made it clear that there could not be any compromise over the Model Town incident. “Talks can only begin once our demands regarding Model Town are met,” he said.

“An FIR should be registered against those who were behind the Model Town tragedy first… we will talk about other demands later.” Qadri warned the ruling party that any ‘betrayal’ on their part would have dire consequences.

“My followers are ready to sacrifice their lives… I am ready to sacrifice my life, but you cannot imagine how

Published in The Express Tribune, August 25^th, 2014.