Tahirul Qadri to return to Pakistan on August 8

Published July 31, 2017
Qadri's announcement comes as Pakistan is gearing up to elect a new PM after Nawaz Sharif's disqualification. — File
Qadri's announcement comes as Pakistan is gearing up to elect a new PM after Nawaz Sharif's disqualification. — File

Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) chairperson Tahirul Qadri announced on Monday that he would be returning to Pakistan on August 8, DawnNews reported.

Qadri's announcement has come just as Pakistan is gearing up to elect a new prime minister after Nawaz Sharif's disqualification by the Supreme Court in the Panamagate case.

After the Supreme Court's decision to de-seat Sharif, Qadri had commented on the verdict saying: "Pakistan wins today. It is the victory of people. The nation is indebted to the SC judges who gave this historic verdict. #PanamaVerdict"

He was then quick to point out that the victims of the 2014 Model Town incident also awaited justice: "It is hoped now that the families of martyrs of Model Town will get justice as well. #PanamaVerdict"

A Lahore ATC, on Feb 7, had refused to try the then prime minister Nawaz Sharif and eleven others, including some federal and provincial ministers, for the killing of PAT workers during riots in Model Town.

The court, however, had summoned IGP Mushtaq Ahmad Sukhera, former Lahore DCO Muhammad Usman and 123 others to face the trial.

Qadri did not take Shahbaz Sharif's nomination as PML-N's candidate for the next PM lightly, tweeting on July 30:

"The elevation of Shahbaz Sharif, who is responsible for Model Town killings, to premiership is not acceptable at all. There will be #GoShahbazGo now."

The PAT chief had spent a few weeks in Pakistan in June and left the country on July 1 to visit Egypt, UK and Norway.

On July 13, he had said that he may return to the country at any moment and had demanded that Nawaz quits because “his crime now stands proven” after the JIT report had surfaced.

Seperately, on July 14, an Anti-Terrorism Court in Islamabad moved to seize properties belonging to Qadri and Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan after the two repeatedly failed to appear in hearings of the Asmatullah Junejo case, which pertains to an attack on a policeman during the 2014 sit-in in Islamabad.

Opinion

Editorial

Smog hazard
Updated 05 Nov, 2024

Smog hazard

The catastrophe unfolding in Lahore is a product of authorities’ repeated failure to recognise environmental impact of rapid urbanisation.
Monetary policy
05 Nov, 2024

Monetary policy

IN an aggressive move, the State Bank on Monday reduced its key policy rate by a hefty 250bps to 15pc. This is the...
Cultural power
05 Nov, 2024

Cultural power

AS vital modes of communication, art and culture have the power to overcome social and international barriers....
Disregarding CCI
Updated 04 Nov, 2024

Disregarding CCI

The failure to regularly convene CCI meetings means that the process of democratic decision-making is falling apart.
Defeating TB
04 Nov, 2024

Defeating TB

CONSIDERING the fact that Pakistan has the fifth highest burden of tuberculosis in the world as per the World Health...
Ceasefire charade
Updated 04 Nov, 2024

Ceasefire charade

The US talks of peace, while simultaneously arming and funding their Israeli allies, are doomed to fail, and are little more than a charade.