LAHORE: In a bid to tighten the noose around the already troubled ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), former president Asif Ali Zardari and Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) Chief Tahirul Qadri joined hands to demand Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Shehbaz Sharif’s resignation on Thursday.
Addressing a joint press conference at the Minhajul Quran Secretariat in Lahore, Tahirul Qadri said that the Model Town enquiry report clearly indicated Shehbaz Sharif as a ‘murderer’.
“The barriers [around Minhajul Quran Secretariat] were lawful and no one had objected to them for three years. The force which was sent used unlawful means and they were there to drop bodies and not remove barriers,” he said of the incident which took place on June 17, 2014, resulting in the death of 14 PAT workers.
The PAT chief alleged that the entire operation had been conducted under the supervision of Rana Sanaullah. “People, who say the report is not conclusive, are lying,” he said, adding that anyone who reads the report prepared by Justice Baqir Najafi commission will know who was responsible for the Model Town tragedy.
“Rana Sanaullah should step down and surrender himself to law,” he demanded. “We will take steps, within the ambit of the law and the Constitution to bring those responsible for the incident to justice,” Qadri announced.
Taking his turn, Asif Ali Zardari said, “Enough is enough, Nawaz Sharif’s brother Shehbaz must resign. After this report, he stands condemned and a condemned man cannot remain the CM of the largest province of Pakistan.”
“We came here today to express our solidarity with PAT chief,” he said and added, “Now we will not tolerate Shehbaz. Now we will fight and take to the streets with him [Tahirul Qadri].”
This was the first time that the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) co-chairman Asif Zardari visited the Minhajul Quran Secretariat. The two sides held a meeting wherein Khurram Nawaz Gandapur, Manzoor Wattoo and Qamar Zaman Kaira were also in presence.
Earlier, in a telephonic conversation with Qadri, Asif Zardari said that PPP is with PAT as the martyrs should get justice at all costs. Sources said that prior to the meeting, both the leaders discussed the Najafi Commission report on Model Town tragedy in a phone call in which Zardari resolved to take the culprits to the task.
Earlier, Dr Tahirul Qadri instructed his supporters to remain alert and prepare to protest against the government seeking justice for lives lost in deadly clashes in Model Town.
PAT chief said that the party would get hands on the ‘real report’ after court’s order are issued. He said that the dates mentioned in the commission report give birth to suspicions. He claimed that the report has enough content to hold Shehbaz Sharif and Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah responsible for the innocent lives.
Qadri hailed the report as an unbiased account of a judge over the incident. He felicitated Justice Ali Baqar Najafi for compiling an ‘unbiased’ report.
Meanwhile, Rana Sanaullah shunned the call for Shehbaz Sharif’s resignation saying such demands were made every other day.
While speaking on a private news channel on Thursday, Sanaullah said if the chief minister had to resign he would have done so around four years ago as “these people” make such demands every other morning.
