LAHORE: Dr Tahirul Qadri has pledged to go to any extreme for winning justice for the victims of Model Town police raid.

“I am fully fit and will go to any length to get justice for those killed in the Model Town tragedy and now it’s up to the rulers to decide if they want to give us justice or we make our own decision and plan our next move,” the Pakistan Awami Tehreek chairman said while speaking at a press conference hours before leaving for abroad here on Monday.

“The rulers have sent abroad the main culprit (CM’s ex-principal secretary Dr Tauqir Shah) and they have set up a ‘political terrorism cell’ which does all what it deems beneficial to their interest and commits heinous crimes to achieve political motives of the rulers.”

Dr Qadri reiterated his trust in the army and said they sought justice only from army chief Gen Raheel Sharif and asked him to try the Model Town killing case in a military court bringing to the witness box police officials and the civil administration.

The army, he said, should ensure that all citizens were treated equally and negated the notion that the rich had a different law.

The heirs of victims, who were present during the press conference, chanted slogans against the rulers and demanded justice while reposing a complete faith in the leadership of Dr Qadri.

The PAT chief also pledged to pursue the Model Town case in courts with full force saying “none should think that I’ll retreat. I’ll continue struggle (to win justice) till my last breath.”

Answering a question, he said the rulers failed to buy loyalties of the heirs of martyrs and added that those who sold their loyalties could not speak in public and walk with their heads high.

Published in Dawn, January 5th, 2016