Sheikh Rashid joins list of leaders supporting Dr Qadri's demands on Model Town incident

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Sheikh Rashid and Dr Tahirul Qadri address the media after a meeting at PAT headquarters in Lahore on Dec 10. —DawnNews
Sheikh Rashid and Dr Tahirul Qadri address the media after a meeting at PAT headquarters in Lahore on Dec 10. —DawnNews

Awami League chief Sheikh Rashid on Sunday joined a growing list of political leaders who are backing Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) chief Dr Tahirul Qadri's demands following the release of Justice Baqar Najafi report on the Model Town incident.

"Dr Tahirul Qadri has finally won a war against oppression and brutality. But it is only half a victory," Sheikh Rashid said after meeting Dr Qadri in Lahore.

He predicted that the PML-N government would fall before March 30 and the politics of the Sharif family would come to an end.

"On the Model Town incident, all parties minus Nawaz Sharif are united," he said while answering a question on whether an alliance was on the cards, clarifying that this was different from an electoral or political alliance.

Dr Qadri repeated his demand for the resignation of Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif and Law Minister Rana Sanaullah and formation of a Panama-like joint investigation team (JIT) over the Model Town incident.

"Despite PAT not presenting evidence and witnesses, Justice Baqar Najafi held Shahbaz Sharif and Rana Sanaullah responsible for the Model Town tragedy," Dr Qadri said while speaking to the media, claiming that the Sharif brothers planned the attack together.

He demanded Rana Sanaullah, Shahbaz Sharif and the bureaucrats and officer involved in the incident resign and a Panama-like JIT be formed where PAT can present its witnesses and evidence.

The leader warned that if they did not resign, it was the right of the party to kick them out of power democratically and peacefully.

PML-Q leaders Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi are currently meeting Dr Qadri and are expected to speak to the media later in the evening.

PAT headquarters have been buzzing with political activity with the PPP Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari being the first high profile leader to visit Dr Qadri to extend support in the party's struggle for justice for the victims of Model Town incident.

On Saturday, Pak Sarzameen Party Chairman Mustufa Kamal and a Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf delegation comprising Shah Mahmood Qureshi and Jehangir Tareen visited Dr Qadri, lending their support.

Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, however, dismissed the ongoing activities at the Model Town residence of PAT chief, saying on Saturday “When you add zero to zero, you get zero as the answer.”

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