Defacing currency: Scribble ‘Go Nawaz, Go’ on banknotes, Qadri tells workers

State Bank says writing slogans on currency notes will render them useless.

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) leader Dr Tahirul Qadri on Sunday wrote ‘Go Nawaz, Go’ on two currency notes and urged the people to do the same as part of a new campaign to ratchet up pressure on the beleaguered government of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.

“I ask 180 million people of the country to launch this movement and write ‘Go Nawaz, Go’ on every single currency note,” Qadri said, addressing his supporters camping on Islamabad’s Constitution Avenue. He renewed his vow to continue the sit-in till the government is ousted.



The PAT chief launched the campaign after hitting hard at both the government and opposition parties. “The opposition was supposed to hold the government accountable but instead they have joined hands to save the [so-called] democracy,” he said.

Qadri said the entire system, the assemblies and the parliament, were unconstitutional as they were set up in violation of the Constitution. He referred to Article 51 (5) and said elections were held without conducting a fresh census. He then cited Article 140 and said local government elections were not held over the last nine years.

“We reject this fake democracy and fake parliament. The rulers should be tried under Article 6 [high treason] for violation of the Constitution,” he added. “Where is the parliament and where is the Constitution?” he questioned.

Earlier, he said it was not a democracy in which a vast majority of people lived without medical facilities and without legal, social and economic protection.

Qadri clarified that the basic purpose of PAT’s ongoing protest was not merely seeking justice for the Model Town massacre but a revolution for the whole country. “This is the agenda of the Inqlab march. This is why we are here,” he said.

Talking about the floods, he said the rulers [particularly the Sharif family] were trying to save their sugar mills and were diverting floodwaters to villages where poor people were left helpless.

He said the people of Pakistan would not get justice from the courts until the country’s political system was rectified. “The courts have no powers to deliver justice at people’s doorsteps as such decisions are taken by the rulers,” he added. “A mafia of criminals is everywhere from top to bottom.”

Government’s reaction

Meanwhile, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar warned Dr Tahirul Qadri not to mislead people by asking them to scribble slogans on currency notes.

“Scribbling or writing on currency notes is illegal and will render them useless,” he said, adding that such notes would neither be acceptable as legal tender for trading of goods and commodities by the business community nor by banks.

“I urge people not to pay heed to such calls from those who have already inflicted incalculable loss to the national economy and are now trying to rob the people of their hard-earned money,” he added.

The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) also clarified that any currency note which bears written, stamped, embossed or inscribed any slogan, statement or messages of political, religious or commercial nature ceases to be legal tender and loses its exchange value.

According to a SBP press release issued on Sunday, any such act will result into the financial loss to the holder of such notes. “The general public is reminded that banknote is critical for sovereignty of our country and it is our responsibility to handle and use the same with due care,” it added.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 15^th, 2014.