'Dama dam mast qalandar' if demands not met by today: Qadri

Published August 29, 2014
Tahir ul-Qadri, chief of Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT), speaks to his supporters in front of the Parliament House building during a "Revolution March" in Islamabad August 28, 2014.  — Photo by Reuters
Tahir ul-Qadri, chief of Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT), speaks to his supporters in front of the Parliament House building during a "Revolution March" in Islamabad August 28, 2014. — Photo by Reuters

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) chief Dr Tahirul Qadri once again warned of 'dama dam mast qalandar' if its demands over the Model Town Fist Information Report (FIR) and resignation of Nawaz Sharif and Shahbaz Sharif were not met by today.

Addressing his supporters after meeting with Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif Tahirul Qadri said that the meeting took three and a half hours because each and every agenda including the sacking of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, cancellation of existing Model Town FIR and registration of a fresh FIR, electoral reforms, formation of a national government and the mechanisms involved was discussed.

Giving details of the demand for the cancellation of the Model Town FIR, Qadri claimed that the documents of the FIR released to the media were in fact a portion of the complaint filed by the PAT whereas the original FIR filed by the government excluded certain clauses and contained additional pages which exonerate the Sharif brothers and their associates.

He said "I showed the original copy of the FIR to Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif and even he was shocked to see it. We have asked for the cancellation of the FIR first thing in the morning and for the registration of a new FIR based on actual facts."

"If the three demands are met (news FIR, Sharif brothers then the other issues of electoral reforms, formation of a national government and the mechanisms involved would be discussed later," Qadri said while also appreciating the army chief for lending a listening ear to the PAT chief.

He said there would be no further extension in deadlines given by the party and warned of 'dama dam mast qalandar' if the PAT demands over the Model Town FIR and resignation of the Sharif brothers were not met by today.

Qadri said that no member of the Sharif family or any accused in the Model Town case would be allowed to become the prime minister after Nawaz Sharif resigned.

Earlier on Thursday night Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) chief Dr Tahirul Qadri and PTI Chairman Imran Khan had announced they had given the prime minister 24 hours leeway upon General Sharif’s assurances.

They had also added that General Raheel Sharif had been appointed by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif as a 'mediator' and 'guarantor' for bringing the current crisis between the government and protesters to an end.

Both PTI and PAT have been holding anti-government protests and sit-ins in Islamabad's Red Zone area and are demanding Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s resignation.

Opinion

Editorial

Competing narratives
03 Dec, 2024

Competing narratives

Rather than hunting keyboard warriors, it would be better to support a transparent probe into reported deaths during PTI protest.
Early retirement
03 Dec, 2024

Early retirement

THE government is reportedly considering a proposal to reduce the average age of superannuation by five years to 55...
Being differently abled
03 Dec, 2024

Being differently abled

A SOCIETY comes of age when it does not normalise ‘othering’. As we observe the International Day of Persons ...
The ban question
Updated 02 Dec, 2024

The ban question

Parties that want PTI to be banned don't seem to realise they're veering away from the very ‘democratic’ credentials they claim to possess.
5G charade
Updated 02 Dec, 2024

5G charade

What use is faster internet when the state is determined to police every byte of data its citizens consume?
Syria offensive
Updated 02 Dec, 2024

Syria offensive

If Al Qaeda’s ideological allies establish a strong foothold in Syria, it will fuel transnational terrorism.