FAISALABAD: Pakistan Awami Tehreek chief Dr Tahirul Qadri on Sunday addressing his supporters in front of a large crowd in Faisalabad appealed to the people for votes, political and financial support, which he said was a need of the party.

Continuing his tirade against the government, he said the country would sink if the incumbent system prevailed.

The PAT chief said Faisalabad was the first stopover of the 'revolutionary caravan' and added that after 60 days of protests he had provided people with the 'language of revolution'.

Qadri said the revolution cannot be stopped by any one and it would surely arrive. He said the revolution required financial support of the people.

He further said that his only crime was raising his voice for the poor while being in Canada and was meted out with punishment for issuing a 10-point agenda for the people's benefit.

Qadri also reiterated his resolve to create more provinces in the country and added that Rawalpindi, Faisalabad, Bahawalpur and Gujranwala would be made into separate provinces. He also said he would liberate the media once he came into power after his struggle.

Pakistan Muslim League - Quaid (PML-Q) leader Chaudhry Parvez Ilahi, PAT President Raheeq Abbasi and Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) chairman Sahibzada Hamid Raza also appeared on the stage before Qadri and addressed his supporters.

DawnNews team attacked

Earlier during the day, a DawnNews team was beaten by masked gunmen and were allegedly escorting Qadri.

— DawnNews screen grab

The crew had setup their cameras and equipment in order to get a front view Qadri's vehicle on his arrival at the venue.

The team was allegedly approached by armed men who manhandled them and tried to stop them from shooting. An injured cameraman said the armed man was a member of Qadri's protection detail and had disembarked from one of his (Qadri's) vehicles.

Later speaking to DawnNews, the PAT chief detached his party and himself from the incident and added that strict legal action would be taken if ample evidence was provided to show the involvement of any one associated with his party.