LONDON: Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) chief Altaf Hussain on Tuesday urged the federal government to avoid using ‘state machinery’ against Canada-based cleric Dr Tahirul Qadri and his party Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT).

“We can differ with Dr Tahirul Qadri on his ideology, but he is a head of a political party and has huge following comprising young men, students, women and elders,” he was quoted as saying in a statement issued by the MQM.

“We should respect his public support and avoid using state machinery against his party.”

Hussain, during an interview today, condemned the killings of at least nine people including PAT supporters when they clashed with Punjab Police in Lahore’s Model Town last week.

Also read: Govt to tackle individuals like Qadri strictly: Pervaiz Rashid

The MQM chief also condemned the events which occurred on the arrival of Tahirul Qadri.

Police said that at least 70 of their officers were injured amid violence initiated by Qadri’s supporters in Islamabad before he landed in Lahore instead of the federal capital. The PAT supporters, armed with sticks and bricks, clashed with baton-wielding police at Islamabad's airport, where Qadri had been due to arrive on an Emirates flight.

Altaf Hussain said that Dr Qadri had announced his schedule in advance but the way the government handled the situation was highly condemnable.

In response to a question regarding his efforts for the resolution of crisis surrounding the arrival of Tahirul Qadri, he said, “Like every Pakistani I was also worried. I asked Governor Sindh (Dr Ishratul Ebad) to play his role in resolving the crisis peacefully.”

Meanwhile, a delegation of MQM called on Dr Qadri at the Tehreek-i-Minhajul Quran (TMQ) secretariat in Lahore. The delegation assured the PAT chief of their party’s support in the ‘peaceful revolution’ he has vowed to lead soon.

Moreover, a Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) delegation led by Mian Manzoor Wattoo also met with Tahirul Qadri and condemned the recent incidents relating to violence on PAT supporters.

Speaking to media representatives later, Wattoo said that his party would consider supporting Awami Tehreek if it was in the interest of democracy.

Qadri also handed a 10-point agenda to the PPP delegation during their meeting earlier.