LAHORE: Visibly angered and frustrated, but still as thunderous as ever before, the Pakistan Awami Tehreek supremo, Tahirul Qadri, on Saturday called it a day; announcing retirement from active politics as well as the party’s chairmanship, saying he wants to concentrate on “reformation and research” work for the rest of his life.

Addressing a video link press conference from his Canadian abode, he said that he had been spending 80pc of his time on research and reformation work anyway.

“With my health deteriorating, it is becoming impossible for me to continue with active politics. I am delegating all my authority to the Supreme Council of the party,” he announced.

Throwing light on the circumstances that made him take the decision, he said: “When Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) was found in 1989, I am on record saying that we will participate in two elections to assess the electoral process and its potential to reform governance. The experience, however, has not been very positive. This electoral system is designed to exploit general masses and serve a few. The “change” we all struggled for is not there; at least, I cannot see it. The accountability process is just limping along, without any concrete results. At the end of current accountability drive, I only see compromises, not punishment. In such circumstances, what is there to fight for? So, I have decided to quit active politics and [will now] concentrate on religious and research work.”

Qadri clarified that he would, however, continue serving the Tehreek Minhaj-ul-Quran (TMQ), which he had set up eight years prior to forming the Pakistan Awami Tehreek. He is a trustee of national and international educational networks being run under the TMQ .

Along with Minhaj-ul-Quran, he said he would continue fighting for justice for the victims of Model Town massacre. He said the Model Town tragedy had nothing to do with politics, but was an “issue of faith” for the party.

He said that he was not “handing over his party” to his sons as he did not want to turn the PAT, like others, into a hereditary institution. “Rather, I am handing it over to the elected Supreme Council that represents collective will of the party. Now, it is for the Supreme Council to see how it wants to run the party and politics.”

He ruled out the possibility of his return to active politics. “This is a well thought out decision, taken after months of deliberations – involving all tiers of the consultative process within the party.

Published in Dawn, September 15th, 2019