KARACHI: The Pakistan Awami Tehreek chief has linked the success of the Karachi operation to elimination of terrorism from Punjab.

Talking to journalists at the Khawaj House soon after his arrival here from abroad in the early hours of Sunday morning, Dr Tahirul Qadri said peace could not be restored in Karachi until terrorism was eliminated from Punjab because terrorists got shelter there.

He said terrorists had their secured shelters in Punjab and until an operation was carried out in the province and terrorists were eliminated there, complete peace could not be stored in the country.

Greeting people on the occasion of Sindh culture day, Dr Qadri said Karachi used to be a cradle of peace in the past. “I have good old memories of Sindh. I love Sindh as it is a land of peace and saints.”

In reply to a question, he said the country was passing through a crucial phase and democracy could be saved only by eliminating the “roots of monarchy”.

Answering another question, the PAT chief said participation in the election of a banned organisation was “a slap on the face of the National Action Plan”. He alleged that the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz was a patron of terrorists and got the banned outfit’s candidate elected.

He was referring to the victory of Maulana Masroor Nawaz Jhangvi, an independent candidate supported by the banned Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat, in a by-election on a Punjab Assembly seat on Thursday.

Earlier on his arrival at the Jinnah International Airport from Canada via Dubai, Dr Qadri was received by PAT president Khurram Nawaz Gundapur, his son Hasan Mohyuddin and party workers.

Published in Dawn, December 5th, 2016