Constitution torn into shreds on June 17: Dr Tahir-ul-Qadri addresses All-Parties Women Conference

PAT chief Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri has said that the rulers do not know anything about the Constitution. They have neither read it nor do they believe in it. He said that people elected them for five years by casting their ballots and they paid them back by putting a dagger in their heart for five years. He said that the rulers tore the social contract into shreds by violating Article 5 of the Constitution and now they had lost right to rule. He asked how those who kept themselves updated about dengue mosquito remained unaware of mass killing of 14 people in their neighborhood, adding those against whose permission neither any fly nor a mosquito could fly, how 14 people could be shot to death and over 100 critically injured without their permission.

Dr Tahir-ul-Qadri expressed these views while addressing an All-Parties Women Conference organized under the banner of PAT Women Wing to protest mass-killing of unarmed civilians and workers on fateful day of June 17. The Conference was attended by women leaders of all key political and religious parties including Fozia Kasuri (PTI), Samina Khawar Hayat (PML-Q), Nazia Imam (MQM), Afshan Amir (PPP), Neelum Shah (ANP), Fozia Hamayun (AML), Sayyida Faiza (JUP), Sumaira Makhdoom (MWM), Senator Nasima Ehsan (Balochistan National Party), Miss Sahira (All Pakistan Muslim League), Shabnam Nagi Advocate (Interfaith Party Quetta), Sayyida Abida Bokhari (Saraikistan Wasaib Party), Naghmana Yasmeen (Women Rights), and others. President of Women Wing PAT Mrs. Razia Naveed presented 7-point joint declaration of the multiparty women conference.

Dr Tahir-ul-Qadri said that the Preamble of the Constitution prescribed three conditions for democracy i.e. equality, justice and fair play. He said that the rulers got the police to riddle the bodies of those struggling for rights of the 180 million people with bullets through the worst ever state terrorism and to rub salt in the wounds, the FIR of those wronged by the state brutality was not being registered.

He said that under Article 9 of the Constitution, it was responsibility of the state to protect the lives of its citizens, adding the way the rulers tore the Constitution into shreds by perpetrating savagery and barbarism on the innocent people for 14 hours did not find its parallel in the country’s history. He said that Article 10 of the Constitution barred the government from making any unlawful arrests. He said that 3000 PAT workers were booked under Anti-Terrorism Act on June 23, further stating that 400 of them were arrested while 53 of them were being tried in an anti-terrorism court, which had rejected their petition for grant of bail. He said that these peaceful workers were picked up from the Mosque while they were praying.

Dr Tahir-ul-Qadri said that Article 10-A says that fair trial was fundamental right of every citizen, adding that FIR of the victims had not been registered while the investigation proceeded on the FIR lodged by the killers themselves. He said that medical record was being tampered in which the effort was being made to portray that killings had been caused by baton-charge and not by live firing. He said that the Chief Minister remained awake throughout the night and supervised the police action. He got in touch with the operation’s head at 9 am who ordered firing of live bullets at the innocent workers. He clarified that PAT boycotted the judicial commission because there was little possibility of justice being done in the presence of the killer Chief Minister and his top-level administration.

Speaking on the occasion, PTI leader Fozia Kasuri said that example of such barbarism and violence was not to be found in the history of Pakistan. She said that such scenes were not shown even in movies. She said that firing live bullets at unarmed women was an attribute of Yazid which was displayed by Punjab police on that day. She assured of PTI’s support to Dr Tahir-ul-Qadri on this issue.

PML-Q leader Samina Khawar Hayat, while expressing her views on this occasion, said that the entire nation would have to come out on roads against these terrorist rulers. MQM leader Nazia Imam said that if the nation did not come out on the call of Dr Tahir-ul-Qadri, the coming generations would not forgive us. Sumaira Makhdoom of Majlis-e-Wahdat-ul-Muslimeen said in the Conference that Model Town tragedy was a heart-rending incident. She said that even enemy forces would not resort to such shameful behavior with the Muslims after conquering them in a war. Afshan Mir of PPP condemned the police atrocities in the strongest words and said that such events did not take place even during dictatorships. Sehr Chaudhry of Awami Muslim League said that we were ashamed of being Pakistani. She said that our heads were hung in shame and our eyes were full of tears. She said that the cruel rulers tore the Constitution into shreds on that fateful day.

Senator Nasima Ehsan of Balochistan National Party said in her views that when repression reached its climax, the forces of truth would come out openly against it. She asked the nation to stand up on the call of Dr Tahir-ul-Qadri. Miss Sahira of All Pakistan Muslim League said that we were against this repression and barbarism. Syeda Abida Bokhari of Surakistan Wasaib Party said that raising a banner of revolt against the cruel rulers of the Lahore Throne was standing for truth. She said that the rulers had kept the Suraiki leaders hostage and were keeping them deprived of basic necessities of life. She said that they were being given lollypop of metro bus service. Other women leaders also spoke on the occasion.