Dr Tahir-ul-Qadri reaches Lahore, talks to media

Talking to media outside the Allama Iqbal International Airport soon after his arrival in Pakistan earlier today, PAT Chairman Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri has said that he does not want to talk about the judiciary. He said that whatever he has to say about it, he will speak to the judiciary inside the courtroom.

Dr Tahir-ul-Qadri said that it is the first impartial JIT formed in the wake of Model Town tragedy that questioned former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, visited the crime scene and conducted the forensic tests of the bullets and arms used during the police brutality. He said that the last two JIT did not even record the statement of the injured. He said that we are committed to waging this struggle for justice and would continue to do so in the future as well.

Those who received Dr Tahir-ul-Qadri at the airport included Dr Hassan Mohi-ud-Din Qadri, Khurram Nawaz Gandapur, Fayyaz Warraich, GM Malik, Syed Altaf Hussain Shah, Nooorullah Siddiqi, Mian Zahid Islam, Jawad Hamid, Mian Rehan Maqbool, Hafiz Ghulam Farid, Mian Kashif and Mazhar Alvi. A large number of the PAT and MQI including women were also present to welcome their leader. They raised slogans and showered rose petals as he came out of the airport.

In reply to a question, Dr Tahir-ul-Qadri said that it is his prayer that Nawaz Sharif remains healthy until the decision in the Model Town case is handed down. He said that important transfer and posting was carried out on a photo state paper one day ahead of the tragedy. He said that none of the JITs set before ever asked Nawaz Sharif as to why an aircraft was sent to Quetta to bring Mushtaq Sukhera to Lahore, what was the emergency and what was going to take place for which he was brought back overnight. He said that the previous rulers were asked these questions for the first time and they are totally nervous.

Dr Qadri said that as long as the former rulers remained in power, they did not allow the establishment of an impartial JIT. He said that he also demanded the formation of a neutral JIT with the three-member government’s team during the sit-in but they did not accept this demand, adding how we could be expected to give legitimacy to a JIT that was formed by those who ordered the killing of the innocent people.

The PAT Chairman said that the new JIT has so far recorded the statements of 150 government officers including Nawaz Sharif, Shahbaz Sharif, Rana Sanaullah, Dr Touqir Shah and top bureaucrats. He said that it was on TV that he heard the news of AD Khawaja being appointed as the head of the JIT but he was convinced that a neutral JIT had been set up because it did not have any representation of the Punjab police. He said that the earlier JITs did not ask the killers as to why the transfers of the IG Police and DCO Lahore were important, why the aircraft carrying him was made to circle 11 times in the air and why it was not allowed to land in Islamabad. He said that it is now that these important questions have been asked.

Dr Qadri said that he does not know what the JIT will write in its final report but stated in the same breath and he is satisfied with the way it was formed and methods of the investigation. He said that we would express our confidence in its findings as well. He said that it is the court that will pass its verdict in the case and whatever judgment it hands down, we would readily accept it. He, however, stated categorically that a fair investigation of the tragedy is essential to reach the truth. He said that he would hold consultations with the lawyers and address a detailed press conference in a couple of days. He reiterated that our main goal is justice for the martyrs.