Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) chief Dr Tahirul Qadri Wednesday appealed the Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif to help the party get justice for its 14 workers who were killed in the Model Town tragedy.
Talking to media at his Model Town residence, Tahirul Qadri said they have been running from pillar to post for the last two years but could not get justice, and added that the government did not register FIR despite orders from sessions judge and Lahore High Court and that the COAS had to ask the government to register an FIR when the party was staging a sit-in in Islamabad.
The PAT chief announced that his party would stage a sit-in on Mall Road on 17th during which he would make important announcement about the future course of action. He said that he has invited all the political parties to join the PAT sit-in, but refused to say anything about the duration of the sit-in. He said he has never announced to launch a movement.
He said that the Punjab and federal government rulers were responsible for the killings in Model town and stated that the rulers would die their own deaths. He said the police in uniform opened fire at the PAT supporters and there was no response from the people otherwise several police officers could have been killed.
He said Joint Investigation Team (JIT) stated in its report that firing in Model Town on June 14 was one-sided, adding that culprits at whose behest Model Town tragedy happened were in power in the government.
Dr Tahirul Qadri said the COAS has committed to eliminate terrorists and their facilitators therefore he should take action against them in the case of Model Town killings as faces of terrorists and their facilitators were visible.
In response to a question, the PAT chief said that his statement has no link with the COAS’s term of office. He said if justice is not provided to them, the parliament should pass a new legislation that those killed by government and state machinery will not get justice.
About Panama Leaks, he said nothing will come out from the parliamentary committee formed on the issue.
To another question, he said he never talked of raising empire’s finger because he was not a cricketer.
Earlier, Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT)’s chief Dr Tahirul Qadri was accorded a warm welcome when he arrived at the Allama Iqbal Airport. Hundreds of party workers gathered at the airport and showered rose petals on his vehicle as he left the airport.
PAT leader has returned to the country after eight months. He arrived in Lahore from London.