Tahirul Qadri rejects judicial commission on Lahore tragedy

Lahore, June 18: Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) chief Dr Tahirul Qadri on Wednesday refused to appear before a judicial commission formed to probe into the killing of at least eight PAT supporters after they clashed with local police on Tuesday.

Speaking to his followers through a video link from Canada, he said that they do not recognise this judicial commission and will not appear before it either. He reiterated his demand that Chief Minister Punjab Shahbaz Sharif was responsible for the incident and should resign from his post.

Qadri alleged that the inquiry commission was formed upon ‘fake’ FIR registered by the attackers and vowed not to accept it.

“Our case is against the chief minister and his cabinet … we will bring the whole country along to get the FIR registered,” he said.

The PAT chief also alleged that after the 16-hour long ‘state terrorism,’ the provincial authorities made up the case of recovering weapons from his residence and Minhajul Quran secretariat.

“My residence and central secretariat were attacked … the power was cut, electricity generator was destroyed and bullets were shot at doors and windows.” “None of our guards fired a single bullet … the whole nation witnessed who opened gunfire,” he added.

Families of the deceased are being pressurised besides being offered millions of rupees, said the PAT chief, adding that leaders of his party’s student wing are seeking permission to keep arms for self-defence.

He claimed that another injured has died in hospital, raising the total death toll to 11 from the incident.

Meanwhile, Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan assured his full support to the PAT and repeatedly demanded for the resignation of Punjab Chief Minister Sharif.

In a press conference outside the Minhajul Quran secretariat, he held the Punjab government responsible for the clash in Lahore that led to the deaths of PAT workers.

The cricketer-turned-politician criticised the Punjab police and stated that the law enforcing force has violated the decision of the Lahore High Court (LHC) to erect barriers outside the residence of Tahirul Qadri.

"The police has been working as a wing of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz,” said Imran Khan. “They are manipulated for political gains,” he added.

The PTI chief further said that his party stands shoulder to shoulder with the PAT.

Source: www.greaterkashmir.com