KARACHI, May 18: The Sunni Tehreek said on Thursday that the provincial government was creating hurdles for the holding of a meeting at Nishtar Park, and permission has not yet been issued.
The ST workers were being threatened and their posters were being removed, he said, adding the Tehrik was a peaceful and patriotic party, but police were being used to harass party workers.
He announced that if permission was not given by Friday for the holding of Chehlum meeting of the April 11 Nishtar Park tragedy, they would be compelled to take direct action and the authorities would be responsible for its consequences.
This was stated by Mr Shahid Ghauri, a spokesman of the caretaker committee of Sunni Tehreek, while speaking at a press conference at Karachi Press Club.
He said that they had applied for permission of a meeting at Nishtar Park to the DIG (Operations) but the home secretary informed them on May 6 that they can hold their meeting at the Kakri Ground.
Mr Ghauri said when they drew attention of the CCPO towards booking of the ground for a festival, his reply was that the ST should make its preparations as the ground would be handed them over on May 17 and accordingly the ST published posters and had issued invitations to the religious scholars.
The ST leader said their peaceful policy was being considered a weakness and state machinery was being used to break the party.
He said keeping in view public interest in the festival, the ST Majlis-i-Shoora, caretaker committee and its Ulema Board has decided to drop the Kakari ground and hold their meeting at Nishtar Park after Maghreb prayers.
Mr Ghauri said now it was the government responsibility to make foolproof security arrangements for holding the conference peacefully.
In reply to a question, he said that the Rehber Committee of Ahle Sunni, comprising over Sunni Ulema, had given the call for strike for May 27 which will be observed if the government failed to satisfy the committee about on going investigation to arrest those responsible for perpetrating the Nishtar Park tragedy.
He also said that the Rehber Committee was not satisfied with the government decision to constitute one member judicial inquiry to investigate the Nishtar Park tragedy and wanted that judicial commission be set up, comprising over senior judges of the high court.
