ISLAMABAD: A number of participants of the Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) sit-in claim to be government servants. Their claims are hard to verify independently and have been rejected by government authorities as propaganda.

PAT chief Dr Tahirul Qadri had been issuing calls to the bureaucracy to join his anti-government protest from the very outset of his Inqilab March on Islamabad on August 14. Some claim to have responded to the calls and come after resigning their jobs or without applying for leave.

After all, they had the guarantee from the fiery religious leader that they would get their jobs back once the revolution he is leading succeeds.

But claimant Maqsood Ahmed approached by Dawn at the PAT sit-in did not care for his job. He said had come from Karachi with his wife and six children to make revolution.

“I have come for the Inqilab, and to please Allah. After Dr Qadri’s goal is achieved, I will go back and tell the management that it was necessary for me to be at the scene,” he said, informing that he worked at K-Electric, formerly the Karachi Electric Supply Company Limited.

Another PAT supporter, who would not tell his name, claimed he left his job in the Ministry of Defence on August 13, without informing his superiors.

Whenever he returns to his job triumphant, he said he would apply for leave, giving ‘Inqilab’ as the reason.

Bilal Khalid, another admirer of PAT, said he had resigned his job in the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) to participate in the Inqilab March.

However, Deputy Director Media and Corporate Communications SECP, Sajid Gondal, denied his claim to Dawn.

“I checked with the Human Resource Department and it said no one had resigned from the organisation during the last two months. Furthermore, no person by the name of Bilal Khalid ever worked for the SECP,” he said, dismissing the man’s claim as propaganda to damage the credibility of government departments.

“I have seen (such) material on the social media, put by people to spread disinformation. My colleagues too have noticed tampered material being used for the purpose,” he said.

Media coordinator of PAT, Ghulam Ali, however, insisted that a number of government officials, inspired by Dr Qadri’s oratory, had quit their jobs.

“Several police officers and male and female employees of ministries and women left their government jobs because they think Dr Qadri can bring change in the country. They are very valuable to PAT because of their sacrifices,” he said.

Published in Dawn, September 3rd, 2014