Blood of Model Town martyrs was starting point of Sharifs’ decline: Dr Tahir-ul-Qadri

PAT leader Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri has said that it was on August 10, 2014 that the Sharifs-led government, which was power drunk, used the state resources to stop the PAT from holding a memorial and prayer ceremony in the honour of the Model Town martyrs. He said that the police and district administration blocked all roads leading to the Model Town by placing containers. He said that more than 8000 workers were arrested from their homes in a single day; hundreds of them were tortured, adding that those who hurled threats at us have no place to hide today. He said that half members of the Sharif family are in jail and the remaining half are at large. He said that it is punishment from Allah Almighty for their oppression and excesses. He said that accountability is still awaited in Model Town cases and the police torture on the revolution march.

Dr Tahir-ul-Qadri made these remarks while talking to the local media after addressing a conference in Sweden the other day. He said that it was on August 10 that raids were conducted on the houses of the PAT workers; the right to peaceful assembly and movement was banned illegally; the sanctity of the family was violated with abandon. He said that so many people were arrested between August 10 and August 14 that the jails were full of the prisoners to the brink and the police prisoners’ vehicle would carry the PAT workers. He said that past five years of the N League were marked by the worst violation of human rights and revenge on the political opponents, stating that these merciless and brutish people do not deserve any kind of concession.

Dr Qadri said that we are grateful to Allah Almighty that the people of Pakistan have been rid of the corrupt and oppressive regime. He said that the workers of other political parties also suffered at the hands of the Sharif government in addition to the PAT workers. He said that we strongly condemn these illegal measures. He said that the blood of innocent people became the starting point of the Sharif’s decline which will culminate in their hanging. He said that there are no as peaceful and moderate workers anywhere as those of the PAT and MQI. He said that he always educated his workers to demonstrate restraint, peacefulness and moderation and the whole world saw this demonstration on the unfortunate day of June 17 when they remained peaceful despite live bullets being fired on them by the police.

Dr Qadri reminded that had he permitted his workers to defend themselves, none of the attackers would have gone back alive. He said that our innocent workers were killed; the government unleashed a reign of terror on our workers but still we looked towards judicial forums for justice and have been in the courts of law with our demand for justice for the martyrs of Model Town. He said that the institutions responsible for administration of justice will have to think that if they did not play their role in provision of justice to those who are peaceful and law-abiding, then abiding peace will never be established. He said that the path of the oppressors will have to be blocked and those who used the state resources for their own self will have to be stopped with the power of the state to ahead with their nefarious agendas.

The PAT Chairman said that taking human lives is far more heinous a crime than looting money. He said that scenes of oppression perpetrated on his workers from June 17 to August 31 are still fresh in his eyes. He said that we want justice in line with the Constitution. He said that it has been four years since we have been waiting for justice with patience. He said that it is hoped that our patience will not be tested more and justice will be provided.