Inqilab March: PAT will take part in polls, says Qadri

Will hold rallies after Eid; PAT, govt panel finalise talks

ISLAMABAD:

While government claims it has accepted almost all demands of Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) after successful rounds of talks with the protesting party, the PAT chief Dr Tahirul Qadri has announced to hold two public rallies in Punjab after Eidul Azha.

Dr Qadri on Thursday said he would address public gatherings in Faisalabad and Lahore, respectively, on October 12 and October 19. In Faisalabad, the rally will be held at Dhobi Ghat Ground while the Lahore jalsa will be held at Minar-e-Pakistan ground.



Speaking to his supporters in the evening, he also announced to turn PAT into a political party, which would take part in future elections.

“The PAT will start its political activities and will participate in upcoming elections,” he said, adding that Model Town incident and Inqalab march had played a significant role in converting the movement into a political activity.

Talking with The Express Tribune, Federal Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal said government committee had accepted almost all the PAT demands and now it was up to Dr Qadri as to when he announced to wind up his sit-in.

Ahsan – who also leads government’s negotiation committee – said the PAT’s major demands like formation of joint investigation team (JIT) on Model Town incident with consensus, release of PAT workers, withdrawal of FIR against PAT activists and Dr Qadri and reform agenda had been accepted.

“The PAT’s reservations about fair and transparent investigation into Model Town incident have been addressed. The government has also assured them that all PAT workers will be released once the party winds up its sit-in,” he said.

“Now it is up to Dr Qadri as to when and how he decides or finalises his political judgment and timing to wind up his sit-in in Islamabad,” he said, adding that the government wished that Dr Qadri end his protest before Eidul Azha.

The minister said Dr Qadri’s announcement of public gatherings was part of his exit strategy.  The PAT President Raheeq Abbasi said their party had started internal consultations about winding up of sit-ins.

“Workers release is an issue which needs to be addressed as there is an apprehension that the government might refuse to release them, if we ended our sit-in earlier,” he told The Express Tribune.

He said in a few days the party leadership would decide the matter and then Dr Qadri would make an announcement at the sit-in.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 3^rd, 2014.