Qadri gives govt 48 hours; Khan quiet on timeline

• PAT chief says PM, Punjab CM and all govt ministers should resign, dissolve parliament and present themselves for arrests failing which he wouldn’t be responsible for masses’ reaction
• PTI chief Imran Khan says he will not leave the sit-in without obtaining Nawaz Sharif’s resignation
• Says Azadi marchers may storm Parliament House and Prime Minister’s House in Red Zone if govt tests their patience further

Despite having differences over their charters of demand from the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan and Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) chief Dr Tahirul Qadri on Saturday separately reiterated their demand for immediate resignation of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, with the PAT chief giving the government 48 hours to accept his demands.

The PAT chief made the announcement while addressing his supporters at Khayaban-e-Suharwardy at midnight.

The preacher-politician said that Prime Minister Sharif, Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif and all other government ministers should step down from their offices, dissolve parliament and present themselves for arrest within the deadline, saying the masses would decide the future course of action if his deadline was not met.

Qadri also urged the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and other government institutions to put the names of the Sharifs and other ministers on the Exit Control List (ECL) so that they could not escape the ‘revolution’.

“We have information that former Punjab law minister Rana Sanaullah would be fleeing to England therefore I demand that the FIA do not let him board the flight and instead put him under arrest,” he said.

QADRI’S CHARTER OF DEMANDS:

Earlier in the evening, the PAT chief presented a broad charter of demands, seeking dissolution of federal and all four provincial governments.

Rejecting the demand made by PTI chief Imran Khan for mid-term elections, Qadri asked Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif to immediately step down and present themselves for arrest for their alleged roles in the killings of PAT workers in Lahore’s Model Town area on June 17.

“All national and provincial assemblies should be immediately dissolved as those in the houses have been elected in violation of the constitution. A national government for democratic reforms should be formed which should bring in good governance and hold all corrupt politicians accountable,” he added.

A revolutionary 10-point socio-economic package should be announced for the poor and deprived people of Pakistan, said Qadri, adding that the state should ensure free medical treatment to people from low-income segments.

“Free education should be provided to all citizens while all edibles should be provided to the poor on half prices,” Qadri said, adding that women should also have a share in economic empowerment.

“Sectarianism and religious fanaticism should be abandoned and no sect should be allowed to declare believers of any other faith as “kaafir” or disbeliever while no one should be allowed to import or export terrorism from Pakistan,” Qadri said.

He also demanded devolution of powers and formation of new provinces for “better administration and good governance.

“Hazara, Gilgit-Baltistan, South Punjab and other administrative provincial units should be formed. All state institutions should be de-politicised.”

Although Qadri claimed that his rally was more than a “million march”, independent political observers believe the number of participants in the first day of the Inqilab March sit-in was between 30 and 35,000.

KHAN TAKES STAGE AT AZADI MARCH:

In comparison, the PTI tally was much smaller in the morning, however the number increased by the evening when Imran Khan arrived at the venue.

Despite heavy downpour, some 50,000 people were present to hear what their chairman’s next line of action would be, but they were disappointed.

Earlier, sources told Pakistan Today that Khan came down hard on PTI Additional Secretary General Saifullah Niazi and other office-bearers for inadequate arrangements for the sit-in participants.

Khan also lashed out at his party’s leadership from Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for failing to muster enough people for the Azadi March. He also reportedly expressed his anger over the party’s second-tier leadership for abandoning the participants after he left for a nap at his Bani Gala residence. The workers, many of whom had come from Lahore after a 40-hour-long journey, were left on the roads amidst heavy downpour at 5am.

DELAYS ANNOUNCEMENT OF TIMELINE:

Undeterred by the media criticism for abandoning his workers in heavy rain, Khan resorted to his rhetoric of not settling for anything less than Prime Minister Sharif’s resignation.

“This government has come through fake elections and all involved in rigging should be held accountable under Article 6 of the Constitution. I will spend all time now along with my workers here and will also sleep on this container. We will not go home till this government resigns,” he said.

However, under a “political strategy”, Khan did not elaborate his charter of demands or a timeline and kept demanding Sharif’s resignation.

Khan said that the Lahore sessions court decision on Model Town massacre case had “tumbled one wicket” of the PML-N leadership and PTI workers would continue to stage the sit-in till they claim the “second wicket”.

Khan also slammed Geo Television Network owner for allegedly launching an anti-PTI campaign “in cahoots with the federal government”.

Addressing the government, he said that Sharif should resign immediately else his party workers’ patience would run out and they might even march towards Parliament House and Prime Minister’s House in the highly-secured Red Zone of the federal capital.

Khan also repeatedly urged Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar to join his party, saying he should now give up serving the monarchist PML-N.