Religious leaders mobilizing masses for 2018 general elections
LAHORE: Religious leaders are mobilising their workers for 2018 general elections during protests and sit-ins that have virtually paralysed the country, Pakistan Today observed.
Leaders of various religious parties gathered at Faisal Chowk (Charing Cross) and other areas urged the masses to vote for their nominees in the general elections due in 2018.
Leading an Eid Millad rally of Mozang residents that culminated at Charing Cross, Allama Noor Elahi made a fiery speech about the finality of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and urged his followers to take revenge of hanging of Mumtaz Qadri, an Elite Force commando who had assassinated former Punjab governor Salman Taseer and other people who sacrificed life during ongoing protests and sit-in in Islamabad.
He got a promise from his followers to vote and support the candidate nominated by Tehreek-e-Labaik Ya Rasool Allah (TLYR) chief Khadim Hussain Rizvi. “Those who have love in their hearts for Mumtaz Qadri should vote for TLYR candidate, ” he said.
Allama Noor Elahi shared his mobile number with the people on a loudspeaker and directed them to connect him on Whatsapp for the future political line of action. The Mozang area falls in NA-120 where TYLR candidate secured 7,130 votes in by-polls held on September 17, 2017.
The TLYR was founded on February 29, 2016, the day Mumtaz Qadri was hanged on the orders of the Supreme Court of Pakistan.
Since then, the party has evoked political interests. The party wants the Sharia Law to be implemented in the country and the execution of all the alleged blasphemers, including Aasia Bibi, a Christian woman sentenced to death for alleged blasphemy. The controversy behind her alleged blasphemy led to the assassination of former governor Salmaan Taseer.
It is pertinent to mention here that religious parties have never been welcomed in mainstream politics since the inception of Pakistan.
Maulana Ajmal Qadri from Mozang also made a speech in favour Mumtaz Qadri and urged followers to vote for the nominee of TLYR chief in the general elections.
Founder of Tehreek Sirat-e-Mustaqeem (TSM) Ahsraf Asif Jalali also moved the masses for the general elections.
Keeping in view the political motives of religious leaders, the Ministry of Interior on Sunday published advertisements in all national dailies for awareness of the general public and urged the masses to be aware of the political motives of religious leaders, who are politicising the deeply sensitive issue of the finality of prophethood of Holy Prophet (PBUH).