Summary LAHORE: Addressing a huge rally at Minar-e-Pakistan Tahirul Qadri pledges peaceful transformation.
Founder of Minhajul Quran International, Tahirul Qadri, gave a deadline of January 10 to implement electoral reforms and run country s affairs in the light of the constitution. He threatened to hold a massive rally of four million in Islamabad on January 14 if the demands were not fulfilled.
Under the slogan of ‘Siyasat nahin, riyasat bachao’, meaning ‘save the state, not politics’, Tahirul Qadri said that he does not support army takeover in the country, adding that he will be the first one to oppose if such intervention was ever made.
He said there were not any foreign elements or agencies behind his today s address, stating that he was there to save the state. He termed corruption as one of the major reasons of poor economy.
Qadri said he doesn’t have the agenda to cancel upcoming elections but to demand electoral reforms that guarantee fair and transparent polls.
He asked the participants if they were ready to march towards Islamabad to bring a change.
Referring to the holding of dual office by president Zardari, he said the constitution doesn’t allow that, adding that transparent elections cannot be ensured when the president, himself supports a certain political party.
In his conclusion, Tahirul Qadri demanded to provide equal rights to the people of Pakistan and conduct upcoming elections in the light of the constitution. He said the masses will not accept the results of the elections if the reforms were not implemented. He said the care-taker setup should also involve members of judiciary and army other than political leaders.
He emphasised the importance of an independent judiciary in the effort to change the system in the country. “The orders of the Supreme Court are not being implemented.”
Tahirul Qadri said the system of exploitation and oppression should be ended in a peaceful manner.
Qadri added that he wanted to see an end to terrorism in the country. He said Pakistan had become a safe haven for terrorists as he referred to the attackers of the Peshawar airport. “If a government cannot maintain law and order, then it is unconstitutional and unlawful and we are not willing to accept it.”
He thanked the workers of Pakistan Awami Tehreek, Tehreek-i-Minhajul Quran and general public for making the rally successful. He also thanked MQM chief Altaf Hussain for cooperating with him, stating that he sent a delegation of 50 people to the rally.
Before formally starting his address, he offered condolences over the demise of ANP leader Bashir Ahmed Bilour.
He also said that Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan will soon be coming to Lahore with him.
