LAHORE: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) Vice-Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi says the party condemns the diversion of Dr Tahirul Qadri’s Islamabad-bound flight to Lahore as well as Punjab government’s brutal action against PAT workers in Model Town a couple of days ago.

Speaking to Dawn on phone on Monday, Mr Qureshi said that under which law, the government had diverted Qadri’s flight and added it eventually licked the dust by sending Punjab Governor Chaudhry Sarwar to escort Dr Qadri from the Lahore airport.

He denied the impression that the PTI was keeping distance from the PAT because of Taliban or electorates in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa factors, adding they had no soft corner for anybody except for Pakistan and its citizens.

Mr Qureshi said the PTI was doing constitutional and democratic struggle for free and fair elections, investigations into rigging complaints and electoral reforms. He said Dr Qadri was also campaigning for electoral reforms.

As the government was treating Dr Qadri and PAT workers with autocratic manners, he said, the PTI as well as PPP, PML-Q, MQM, Milli Yakjehti Council, Sunni Tehreek and Majlis Wahdatul Muslimeen were expressing solidarity with the PAT. He said PML-N ministers were giving sarcastic statements shamelessly to rub salt into PAT workers’ injuries.

Mr Qureshi said the PTI had called its core committee meeting on Wednesday (tomorrow) to discuss the political situation in the country. He said the PTI would go ahead with its planned public meeting in Bahawalpur on June 27.

candlelit vigil: The PTI has decided to hold a candlelit vigil at Liberty Chowk on Wednesday (tomorrow) in memory of those killed in Model Town.

At a meeting at party’s Lahore office on Monday, PTI Punjab General Secretary Dr Yasmin Rashid condemned the Punjab government for using force against unarmed PAT workers on June 17. She criticised police for opening fire on women, elderly men and children.

Published in Dawn, June 24th , 2014