Govt instigating peaceful workers: PAT

LAHORE: Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) General Secretary Khurram Nawaz Gandapur on Sunday alleged that the government has arrested his party activists to prevent them from welcoming their leader Dr Tahirul Qadri at Islamabad airport.

Talking to the media at the Minhajul Quran headquarters, he claimed Islamabad airport had been completely sealed and at least 150 PAT workers were taken into custody from the twin cities.

He regretted that around a dozen leaders were arrested after inviting them for negotiations with the police and civil administration about the arrangements for Dr Qadri’s reception.

At least eight leaders were picked up from Lahore and dozens others were being apprehended in others districts of Punjab besides convoys of PAT activists being stopped on their way to the capital, he added. He said the government was trying to instigate the “peaceful” workers showing how bewildered it was.

Gandapur said the government was propagating the security threat in a bid to discourage workers from stepping out of their houses to receive their leader.

Responding to a query, he said unlike in the past, Dr Qadri would not return to Canada and stay in Pakistan to lead a “movement for winning fundamental rights of the people and eliminating corruption from society”.

On the other hand, Dr Qadri told the media in London before leaving for Dubai that if the government repeated the Lahore incident, funerals prayers of the victims would be offered in front of the Prime Minister’s House.

He again warned that the government would be forced out of power through the support of masses if it tried to cause any harm to his workers.

Source: www.dawn.com