Making martyrs: ‘Qasim Bagh stampede reminiscent of Model Town tragedy’

Qureshi says it does not matter who wins, as long as the by-election is free and fair

MULTAN:

Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) vice chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi said on Monday he feared that by-elections in NA-149 would be rigged.

“Elections were held in Iraq and Afghanistan in the midst of war,” Qureshi said.

He said the request by the provincial government to postpone the by-election on Multan’s NA-149 seat on account of security concerns had exposed the rigging plot.

He said that it did not matter who won the by-election.

“We demand that the election process should be free and fair,” he said.

“The arrival of Imran Khan in Multan and his meeting with families of victims of Qasim Bagh stampede is a slap to the face for the district government and the government of Punjab,” he said.

“The government is trying very hard to create unrest in Multan and turn public opinion against the PTI,” he added.

He said the government wanted to create the impression that the PTI was behind deteriorating law and order situation in Multan.

He said the Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) was backing Javed Hashmi because they were afraid of a PTI win in the constituency.

Commenting on the Multan district coordination officer (DCO), he said the man was a personal staff officer of Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif and had been sent to Multan on a special assignment. He said the Qasim Bagh stampede was similar to the Model Town tragedy.  “As with the Model Town tragedy, the DCO was taking direct orders from the chief minister,” he said. “As with the Model Town tragedy, the police failed to protect those who it was guarding.” “The sacrifices of the PTI workers have strengthened the party,” he said. He said he would not let the government “run the elections.” He said police and the district administration should stop working as tools of the provincial government.

“We will hold everyone accountable for their actions,” he said. He said elections must be held in Multan according to schedule.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 14^th, 2014.