F.P. Report
LAHORE: Former president Asif Ali Zardari called on Dr Tahirul Qadri, Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) chief on Friday and endorsed his stance on Model Town massacre.
Zardari convened the meeting with Dr Qadri in Lahore ahead of PAT chief’s call for all political parties to attend an All Parties Conference (APC) on December 30.
During the meeting, Zardari thanked Dr Qadri for invitation to participate in the APC and deliberated over Model Town massacre and developments concerning it in detail.
“We are with Dr Tahirul Qadri on this issue. Bullets were fired for hours together in Model Town, which was also showed by media,” he said talking to media along Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) chief Tahir-ul-Qadri following a meeting with the PAT leadership at PAT Central Secretariat in Lahore.
He expressed wonder that the carnage incident took place in a big city like Lahore in broad daylight. “We have always supported oppressed and raised voice against injustice. We have relations with Tahir since the days of Benazir. We are with him.
The former president demanded off law minister Rana Sanaullah and Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif to tender their resignations. He hoped that sacrifices rendered by 14 people in Model Town massacre would bear fruit one day or the other. “We demand that Shehbaz and Rana Sanaullah should have to step down and present themselves before the law,” he said.
Zardari said that Punjab Police opened fire against innocent locals and 14 lives were lost while hundreds wounded in the clashes. He accused that the Punjab Chief Minister and Law Minister were utilising their powers to influence every case in this regard.
Whatever decision the All Parties Conference will take the PPP will support it. We would hold them accountable, he added.
The PPPP chairman also said efforts were on to save Sharif family’s assets in Saudi Arabia. “Nawaz is seeking help from Saudi Arabia but we will not let him do this again in Pakistan.”
PPP co-chairman asserted that the political front has always raised voice against violence and said that the party stands united with PAT over its stance in the Model Town case. Senior Pakistan Peoples Party and PAT leaders were also present on this occasion. Dr Qadri told the media that PAT welcomes Zardari-led delegation of PPP and that the meeting discussed agenda of the forthcoming APC.
PAT leader further announced that PPP agrees with all the clauses put forth by PAT over Model Town incident and that the APC would formally begin at 12:45pm tomorrow (Saturday).
Tahir-ul-Qadri said there was no difference on any point between the PPP and PAT. He said the APC to be held on Saturday also came under discussion during the meeting with the PPP.
To a query he said Saudi Arabia was not going to get Nawaz any NRO. “We believe in supremacy of the constitution and will not accede to any pressure. We have autonomous bodies to take decisions,” he added.
It should be noted that the APC was earlier to be convened on December 28 but was pushed by two days by Dr Qadri.
Leader of Opposition in the National Assembly Khursheed Shah said the Pakistani constitution entitled everyone the same justice. “Neither we nor masses will compromise unless justice is delivered. The nation should witness justice being delivered by court proceedings against Rana Sana and Shehbaz,” he said.
The meeting between Zardari and Qadri was earlier scheduled to take place on Thursday, but it was rescheduled for today owing to the PPP leader’s pressing engagements. This was Asif Zardari’s second meeting with Qadri in less than two weeks.
The meeting is being seen as part of efforts by the PAT chief to bring two arch-rivals, Asif Ali Zardari and PTI chief Imran Khan on one platform to give the PML-N government tough time ahead of the next general elections.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan has also confirmed his participation in the meeting to bring perpetrators of the lives lost on July 17, 2014 to justice. Dr Qadri addressed a joint press conference with Imran Khan earlier this week.
