F.P. Report
LAHORE: Chairman Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Imran Khan has held the Sharif Brothers responsible for the Model Town tragedy.
Addressing the protest rally jointly organized by the opposition parties at Mall Road on Wednesday, Imran Khan said that there is no place in the world where police open straight fire at innocent citizens protesting for their rights but police killed shot dead innocent people in Punjab.
He said that 11 children were killed in Kasur but the government adversely failed to endow justice to their heirs.
Imran Khan announced to support chairman of Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) Dr Tahir-ul-Qadri for his campaign to seek justice for the victims of the Model Town tragedy.
The PAT-led protest rally has brought various opposition parties including two big forces – Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) – at one stage.
Earlier, chairman Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) Dr. Tahir-ul-Qadri said that the opposition parties have gathered at the protest rally just to end the rule of the Sharifia Empire and they don’t want to over-rule the Constitution.
He demanded resigns from Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Provincial Law Minister Rana Sanaullah over the tragedy of Model Town.
Co-chairperson Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Asif Ali Zardari said that there is no danger for Pakistan but it is threatened only from Jati Umra and we have to topple its government.
Among others spoke on the occasion, were opposition leader in the National Assembly Syed Khursheed Shah of PPP, Syed Mustafa Kamal, convener Paksarzameen Party (PSP), Qamar Zaman Kaira of PPP, Chaudhry Aitezaz Ahsan of PPP, Sheikh Rasheed of Awami Muslim League.
Khursheed Shah said that the opposition parties gathered here at Mall Road just for seeking justice.
The big protest rally has brought arch-rivals Asif Zardari and Imran Khan together at one stage to topple Shahbaz Sharif government.
The rally was also attended by Khursheed Shah, Senator Aitzaz Ahsan and Qamar Zaman Kaira of PPP and senior PTI leader Chaudhry Mohammad Sarwar and Pervaiz Elahi of PML-Q.
The protests were announced by the PAT seeking to remove PML-N government when it failed to provide justice to the Model Town victims.
Earlier, the Lahore High Court (LHC) allowed PAT to hold protest rally with a condition to wrap it up by 12 midnight. The media was also directed to not cover the rally after midnight.
A full bench, led by Justice Amin-ud-Din Khan, issued the order on a petition moved by Naeem Mir, a local trader. Justice Shahid Jamil Khan and Justice Shahid Karim Khan were the other members of the bench.
When the hearing resumed on Wednesday, the Advocate General Punjab informed the court about the steps taken by the authorities to stop the protest rally.
The AG said that the protest organizers have already been informed of the court rulings and relevant laws in this regard.
Advocate Asad Manzoor Butt, the counsel of the petitioner, argued that the planned protest on The Mall was an open violation of law and tantamount to destroying businesses besides other challenges for citizens.
The counsel argued that the protest was unconstitutional as all the opposition parties had come out against an elected government. He said the protests caused loss of millions of rupees.
Advocate AK Dogar had adopted the similar contention. Both the petitioners asked the court to order the government authorities to stop the protest.
Latif Khosa, counsel for the protesters said that it is their right to launch protests against injustices and the parties have not decided on the future course of action.
