The high political drama that had kept millions glued to their TV screens in their homes and several thousand camped near Parliament House in Islamabad for the last four days ended with a whimper on Thursday when the government successfully brokered a face saving deal with Tehreek Minhajul Quran chief Dr Tahirul Qadri, leaving things mostly as they were.
Despite concerns that the mass protest could derail the upcoming general elections, or even augur a military coup, the dramatic sit-in ended with an agreement that granted few of the demands originally made by the ‘revolution seeking cleric’, Qadri.
A 10-member government delegation, including leaders of the ruling Pakistan People’s Party’s coalition partners, brokered the deal with Qadri at his bomb-proof container after nearly five hours of deliberations.
But Qadri’s demands for the dissolution of parliament, the resignation of the government and the re-constitution of the Election Commission were skilfully ignored in a signed agreement between the two sides that ruled out any major changes to the electoral process.
The government told Qadri that his demand of reconstituting the Election Commission could be discussed again on Jan 27 in Lahore, as the law did not permit dissolution of the commission and a new amendment in the constitution was required to this effect. Nor was there any mention of Qadri’s demand that the army and judiciary – two institutions he has showered with praise – should play a role in selecting the caretaker administration that will run the country for up to three months after the government reaches the end of its five-year term on March 16.
Instead, an Islamabad Long March Declaration signed by the two sides promised Qadri’s Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) a consultative role in choosing a caretaker prime minister. The PAT has been allowed to propose two names for caretaker prime minister but legal experts have ruled out any significance of this concession by the government.
“TuQ (Tahirul Qadri) and the PM can agree on two names for caretaker PM. Then PM and the opposition leader can ignore those names and propose other names to the parliamentary committee,” Salman Akram Raja, an expert on constitutional matters, tweeted after the deal was announced.
ISLAMABAD DECLARATION:
Qadri apparently made the government agree on implementation of Article 62 and 63 in letter and spirit, one of his major demands throughout the sit-in.
According to the declaration, the potential candidates would be filtered and required to get clearance under Articles 62, 63 and 218 (Section 3) and Representation of People Act 1976, as the Election Commission would set one-month’s time to scrutinise their eligibility.
According to the declaration, the present National Assembly would be dissolved anytime before the completion of its tenure on March 16. The elections would take place within 90 days and scrutiny would be held 30 days before the election campaigns start.
QADRI ECSTATIC:
Reading the agreement signed by Prime Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, Qadri and other members of committee, the Minhajul Quran chief congratulated the nation and his supporters, calling it a great victory for democracy, the marchers and the nation.
He also congratulated the ruling coalition for what he called the successful culmination of the long march.
Following the successful talks, the crowd of over 50,000 followers of Dr Qadri turned festive and chanted slogans in favour of their leader and waved national flags. The mammoth gathering dispersed peacefully later after the government assured them transportation back home.
An hour before the government announced the decision to form a committee comprising Shujaat Hussain and Senator Mushaid Hussain of the PML-Q, Information Minister Qamar Zaman Kaira, Senior Minister Syed Khurshid Shah and Law Minister Farooq H Naik of the PPP, Afrasiab Khattak of the ANP, and Babar Ghauri and Dr Farooq Sattar of the MQM to defuse the situation, Qadri had given a final deadline for his demands to be fulfilled.
He warned the government that if his demands were not fulfilled within the set deadline, the government would lose the last chance of saving peace.
“We have already given too many chances to law, to democracy and to peace,” he said.
On Tuesday, Qadri’s supporters had gone into raptures when news broke that the Supreme Court had ordered the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to arrest APrime Minister Ashraf in the rental Power Projects scandal.
That announcement convinced Qadri’s supporters, and most observers, that there was an establishment conspiracy to bring down the government and scupper hopes that Pakistan, for the first time in its history, would see the transfer of power between two democratically elected governments.
Crooks unite.
under noora eating 10 dishes
Now that the job is done per Toronto returned mullah, please export him to Syria or Bhahrain and may be Iraq. This way we can earn some foreign exchange and can pay off some of our loan. He knows Arabic language.
Why not Ganja NS be exported!?
Please elaborate about this ganja NS?
Ganja NS: feeding 10 dishes to all the soars at raiwind
Lot key bhudo ghar. ko aye
all are fake no one care about pakistan
Couple of comments on this article,first is for the guy who wrote it,you started out pretty good about the government agreeing to save their face,finally someone in the media using those words(you must be a PML-N guy or even PTI).Then the language used to describe the deal and other issues is totally incorrect.The government didn't grant anything,they settled on some of the demands.At the end of the day,PPP mad deals with the Qadri Padri like they made deals with MQM,I do not and will not trust any of these guys.How can Qadri Padri go from fuming just few hours ago to come out smiling and not even half his so called demands weren't even met,instead he makes a very fishy deal.
drama finished…..
The point to note is that PML N and the recent collection , has been neutralised in Punjab.The deal is between Awami Tehreek and Govt and not Minhajul Quran.Dr Qadri will be big pain in the behind of Nawaz and Shahbaz who have been virtually enjoying a free run due to PTI Chief's incompetence.The battle starts now and Wattoo will sit back and provide fuel only.Rest will be upto Dr Qadri.Enjoy.
the government which do not obey order of supreme court of pakistan. how they can accept the declaration of long march…..
what made the difference in this signed agreement. Qadri before the march and after the march has same political situation. so the agreement is a face saving deal only. Hats off Qadri who flew 1000's miles to ensure the reforms on ground of putting app 50,000 people at parliament. now my question, where is "awami inqelab?"
PLZ clean up islamabad so that life can get back to normal.
The most important outcome of his Long March are that his recommendations for caretaker PM would be considered and that meetings with him would be held at his headquarters in Lahore. If this was what Islamabad was held hostage for four days, then I'm afraid am not going to believe any more firebrand 'revolution mongers'.That's all Folks !
Crooks unite.
What an end of Topi Drama,No need for new Election as such powerful and blackmail gathering can compel Government to do according to their wishes.This was a pr-planned agitation as Tahir is not representing 18 Crores people of Pakistan.Tahir Qadri is blackmailer like Dappo Altaf Hussein. We condemn Tahir`ways of threatening to Government.There was completely `MUK MAKKAO ` between government and MQM.We strongly protest over this Drama and urge Chief Jistice of Pakistan to take Suo Moto action on this deal.
The Long March Did not succeed in achieving all it's demands, but when does any thing fully succeed. But I am glad about the following.
1. Nearly all Pakistanis got educated by T Q about the issues confronting Pakistan.
2. Another army take over has been rendered very difficulty.
3. It established the power of the people and that the Govt can be forced to the negotiating table by peaceful means.
4. The corruption in Pakistani politics, either under the military or civilian rule will not end, but the LM is likely to reduce it. Furthermore, while 62&63 cannot be implemented in its entirety, our future elected leaders will be more careful and the chances of better people getting elected has improved. There are several other minor but good results.
I would like to end on the note that Chaudhri Nisar's harangue and anger during Kamran Khan's program, was nothing but itself a case of political peevishness designed to win public support by discrediting TQ but I do not think that he will succeed. On the contrary, the PML(N) may have to pay a heavy price and it's main beneficiary may be the present Govt, which will be a great pity.
drama finished…..
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