*PAT chief says no differences with PTI ‘cousins’
*Says PAT will not accept JIT nominated by Punjab govt
Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) Chairman Tahirul Qadri on Thursday returned to Pakistan, and vowed not to give up his struggle against the Nawaz Sharif government.
He also dismissed rumours of a rift with “political cousins” – the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, saying PTI and PAT leaders had been in contact even during his foreign visit.
The firebrand cleric, who arrived at Allama Iqbal International Airport in Lahore, after a visit to US, Canada and UK reportedly for a medical check up and reorganisation of his party, said his party would continue to stage anti-government protest sit-ins across Pakistan as the people of Pakistan want a “revolution”.
“PAT President Raheeq Abbasi received a call from PTI Vice Chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi welcoming me to Pakistan,” said Qadri.
Giving details of his new strategy to counter the government, Qadri, who had earlier wrapped up his party’s anti-government sit-in in Islamabad, said he has decided to spread his sit-ins to other parts of the country.
“Our struggle is no more confined to a single sit-in but will be transformed into a nationwide movement of sit-ins,” he said, revealing his plans to hold rallies in Bhakkar, Sargodha, Sialkot, Mansehra and Karachi on November 23, December 5, 14, 21 and 25, respectively.
MODEL TOWN PROBE:
Speaking about investigation into the Model Town clashes in which 14 PAT workers were killed, Qadri said, “No probe panel nominated by Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif is acceptable to PAT.”
“The joint investigation team consists of those who ordered the Model Town massacre and were responsible for the killings – the Punjab government and Punjab police,” Qadri alleged, adding that accepting such a panel will be tantamount to betraying the martyrs of Model Town.
