Qasim Bagh stampede: ‘PTI willing to risk bloodshed to bring govt down’
Hashmi says Imran Khan wants him back but Qureshi is running a campaign against him
MULTAN:
“The Pakistan Tehreeki-i-Insaf (PTI) wants more martyrs to gain political leverage,” said former PTI president Javed Hashmi on Saturday.
He said the sit-ins in Islamabad had failed and the PTI leaders were looking new ways to bring Khan to power.
Talking to newsmen at a press conference, Hashmi said a committee of judges of the Lahore High Court should be constituted to investigate the stampede at Qasim Bagh.
He said when PTI chairman Imran Khan left the venue on Friday night, most party leaders left with him.
“The workers were left stranded at Qasim Bagh. Their leaders were only available for point-scoring,” he said.
Hashmi said the PTI was a one-man show. He said the culture of nepotism would ruin it.
He said corrupt politicians were joining the PTI without any check.
“Imran Khan accuses Asif Ali Zardari and Nawaz Sharif for having corrupt people with them,” he said. “He does not realise that he too is flanked by corrupt people.”
He said transparency and merit were key to the growth of a political party.
Hashmi offered his condolences to families of those who had lost their loved ones in the stampede.
He said the PTI was promoting anarchy to get what it wanted.
“The plan is simple; mounting casualties can bring the government down,” he said.
He said the district government and the provincial government were easy targets in a blame-game.
“Some people who died in the stampede were so poor, their families could not afford funeral ceremonies,” Hashmi said.
“Not all of them were workers of the PTI,” he added. “Some of them were daily wage workers from slums of Multan there to see Imran Khan.”
Hashmi claimed that Imran Khan had a soft corner for him and wanted him to rejoin the party.
“However, Shah Mehmood Qureshi has been running a campaign against me,” he said.
He said he had no personal enmity against Shah Mehmood Qureshi. He said he had fielded his favorite candidates for elections in South Punjab.
PTI workers attack Hashmi’s car
Hashmi’s car was attacked by some PTI workers when he arrived for the funeral prayers of Salman and Muavia who died in the Qasim Bagh stampede.
When he arrived at the funeral, some of his supporters chanted slogans against Shah Mahmood Qureshi.
Some PTI workers responded by chanting slogans against Hashmi and charged at him.
When Hashmi left the mosque and got into his car, some PTI workers threw shoes at it.
He was escorted to his house by the police.
Funeral prayers of Saleemullah in Qasim Bela Colony was attended by PTI Vice Chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi.
The funeral prayer of Allah Dita in Dunyapur in Lodhran was attended by Zain Qureshi and Shamsher Niazi, a nephew of Imran Khan.
Funeral prayers of Riaz were offered in Taunsa Sharif in. The district leadership of PTI in Dera Ghazi Khan participated in the funeral prayers.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 12th, 2014.
“The Pakistan Tehreeki-i-Insaf (PTI) wants more martyrs to gain political leverage,” said former PTI president Javed Hashmi on Saturday.
He said the sit-ins in Islamabad had failed and the PTI leaders were looking new ways to bring Khan to power.
Talking to newsmen at a press conference, Hashmi said a committee of judges of the Lahore High Court should be constituted to investigate the stampede at Qasim Bagh.
He said when PTI chairman Imran Khan left the venue on Friday night, most party leaders left with him.
“The workers were left stranded at Qasim Bagh. Their leaders were only available for point-scoring,” he said.
Hashmi said the PTI was a one-man show. He said the culture of nepotism would ruin it.
He said corrupt politicians were joining the PTI without any check.
“Imran Khan accuses Asif Ali Zardari and Nawaz Sharif for having corrupt people with them,” he said. “He does not realise that he too is flanked by corrupt people.”
He said transparency and merit were key to the growth of a political party.
Hashmi offered his condolences to families of those who had lost their loved ones in the stampede.
He said the PTI was promoting anarchy to get what it wanted.
“The plan is simple; mounting casualties can bring the government down,” he said.
He said the district government and the provincial government were easy targets in a blame-game.
“Some people who died in the stampede were so poor, their families could not afford funeral ceremonies,” Hashmi said.
“Not all of them were workers of the PTI,” he added. “Some of them were daily wage workers from slums of Multan there to see Imran Khan.”
Hashmi claimed that Imran Khan had a soft corner for him and wanted him to rejoin the party.
“However, Shah Mehmood Qureshi has been running a campaign against me,” he said.
He said he had no personal enmity against Shah Mehmood Qureshi. He said he had fielded his favorite candidates for elections in South Punjab.
PTI workers attack Hashmi’s car
Hashmi’s car was attacked by some PTI workers when he arrived for the funeral prayers of Salman and Muavia who died in the Qasim Bagh stampede.
When he arrived at the funeral, some of his supporters chanted slogans against Shah Mahmood Qureshi.
Some PTI workers responded by chanting slogans against Hashmi and charged at him.
When Hashmi left the mosque and got into his car, some PTI workers threw shoes at it.
He was escorted to his house by the police.
Funeral prayers of Saleemullah in Qasim Bela Colony was attended by PTI Vice Chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi.
The funeral prayer of Allah Dita in Dunyapur in Lodhran was attended by Zain Qureshi and Shamsher Niazi, a nephew of Imran Khan.
Funeral prayers of Riaz were offered in Taunsa Sharif in. The district leadership of PTI in Dera Ghazi Khan participated in the funeral prayers.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 12th, 2014.