batmannow
ELITE MEMBER
- Jan 28, 2008
- 18,830
- -19
- Country
- Location
Qadri terms Shahbaz murderer of PAT workers
By Dawn.com
Updated 34 minutes ago
LAHORE: Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) chief Dr Tahirul Qadri on Friday night said that a party activist was killed and six others injured in a clash with police earlier and termed Chief Minister Punjab Shahbaz Sharif, murderer of the “15 martyrs.”
Speaking to the media, he said the group would have “no choice other than giving a final call of revolution to the entire nation to come out on streets and march towards Islamabad and provincial capitals to topple (the) government,” should the arrests of his followers continue.
He alleged that more than 500 followers were arrested by police in a campaign of intimidation.
Qadri, who is normally Canada-based, returned to Pakistan in June to lead what he terms a “peaceful revolution.”
Clashes between Qadri supporters and police in June left 14 activists dead in a rare example of political violence in the relatively peaceful Punjab province.
The cleric had previously announced “martyrs day,” a mass prayer session for the victims of June's violence to be held on August 10 in Lahore but it is unclear whether he plans to march on the capital the same day.
A religious moderate, Qadri commands tens of thousands of followers and held a disruptive four-day sit-in protest against the government in 2013, months ahead of the election that saw Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif come to power for the third time.
Earlier, sources in the Punjab administration told DawnNews that Punjab CM Shahbaz Sharif had issued orders to the police to arrest Dr Qadri.
The orders were issued as PAT workers armed with clubs clashed with policemen in Lahore Model Town, with reports of several people being injured.
Sources added that the government has also recommended to the federal government that Qadri’s name should be put in the Exit Control List (ECL).
PAT leader Rahiq Abbasi told DawnNews that workers will not allow any attempt to put Dr Qadri under house arrest.
He added that the entire nation was watching through the media the atrocities being carried out by the Punjab police against the party workers.
Abbasi vowed to turn every street and neighbourhood in Lahore into “a war zone” if the PAT chief is arrested.
Later, speaking to the media, Punjab Law Minister Rana Mashood alleged that the PAT was conspiring to disrupt the ongoing military offensive, Operation Zarb-i-Azb in North Waziristan Agency. He said that Tahirul Qadri and his supporters had planned to attack seven districts in Punjab.
The PML-N leader said that law enforcement forces will not allow the ‘mob’ of Tahirul Qadri to disturb peace in the country.
Mashood said there was no place in Pakistan for those who do not abide by the law and the Constitution.
By Dawn.com
Updated 34 minutes ago
LAHORE: Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) chief Dr Tahirul Qadri on Friday night said that a party activist was killed and six others injured in a clash with police earlier and termed Chief Minister Punjab Shahbaz Sharif, murderer of the “15 martyrs.”
Speaking to the media, he said the group would have “no choice other than giving a final call of revolution to the entire nation to come out on streets and march towards Islamabad and provincial capitals to topple (the) government,” should the arrests of his followers continue.
He alleged that more than 500 followers were arrested by police in a campaign of intimidation.
Qadri, who is normally Canada-based, returned to Pakistan in June to lead what he terms a “peaceful revolution.”
Clashes between Qadri supporters and police in June left 14 activists dead in a rare example of political violence in the relatively peaceful Punjab province.
The cleric had previously announced “martyrs day,” a mass prayer session for the victims of June's violence to be held on August 10 in Lahore but it is unclear whether he plans to march on the capital the same day.
A religious moderate, Qadri commands tens of thousands of followers and held a disruptive four-day sit-in protest against the government in 2013, months ahead of the election that saw Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif come to power for the third time.
Earlier, sources in the Punjab administration told DawnNews that Punjab CM Shahbaz Sharif had issued orders to the police to arrest Dr Qadri.
The orders were issued as PAT workers armed with clubs clashed with policemen in Lahore Model Town, with reports of several people being injured.
Sources added that the government has also recommended to the federal government that Qadri’s name should be put in the Exit Control List (ECL).
PAT leader Rahiq Abbasi told DawnNews that workers will not allow any attempt to put Dr Qadri under house arrest.
He added that the entire nation was watching through the media the atrocities being carried out by the Punjab police against the party workers.
Abbasi vowed to turn every street and neighbourhood in Lahore into “a war zone” if the PAT chief is arrested.
Later, speaking to the media, Punjab Law Minister Rana Mashood alleged that the PAT was conspiring to disrupt the ongoing military offensive, Operation Zarb-i-Azb in North Waziristan Agency. He said that Tahirul Qadri and his supporters had planned to attack seven districts in Punjab.
The PML-N leader said that law enforcement forces will not allow the ‘mob’ of Tahirul Qadri to disturb peace in the country.
Mashood said there was no place in Pakistan for those who do not abide by the law and the Constitution.
