PAT chief abroad for treatment, not under 10-year deal: Dr Raheeq Abbasi reacts to PM speech

In his reaction to the Prime Minister’s speech in Lahore, PAT President Dr Raheeq Ahmad Abbasi has said that Dr Tahir-ul-Qadri has not clinched a deal for 10 years but has gone abroad for medical treatment, adding that he would be back to Pakistan soon to seek justice for the Model Town victims. He said that Rupee got devalued due to ‘Dar dollar politics’, which benefited the ruling family in billions, not the participants of the sit. He asked the Prime Minister not to become arrogant as protest has not been called off as yet and he can hear ‘big’ news any time. He said that the government has got breathing space due to Peshawar tragedy whereas the crisis remains intact. He made it clear that economy was destroyed due to bad governance and corruption of the rulers, not due to participants of the sit-in.

Dr Abbasi expressed these views while talking to various party delegations that called on him in his office in the central secretariat on February 14, 2015.

Dr Raheeq Abbasi said that what to speak of sit-in, even the problems and issues facing the country and its people are beyond the comprehension of the Prime Minister. Otherwise, the nation would not have to experience recurring gas, petrol and electricity crises due to incompetence of the government and its ministers and advisers would not have to ask for forgiveness. He said that sit-ins resulted in people’s awareness and those who considered themselves to be all-powerful came back to their senses. He said that it was due to participants of the sit-in that the members of Parliament had an opportunity to see the face of the Prime Minister for seven days in the National Assembly, a place he did not like to visit otherwise.

The PAT President rejected the impression of postponement of foreign dignitaries’ visits due to sit-ins and asked, did the US President Obama return after visiting India as a result of sit-ins? He said that it has been proven that the visit of the Chinese President had not been scheduled contrary to the impression created by the government to suit their political interests. He said that the Prime Minister forgot favours done to him by media when he criticized it in the speech. He said that following the ruling family’s dash to Saudi Arabia under a deal, it was media that led the struggle for restoration of democracy. In a tribute to media, he said that it is the media only which is playing the role of a real opposition, something which the rulers find it hard to digest.

Dr Raheeq Abbasi said that the Prime Minister complained about media and sit-in in his speech but forgot to mention the state terrorism perpetrated in Model Town. Drawing attention of the PM and the Punjab CM, he said that they should know that the blood of innocent people would not go in vain and every drop of blood will call out for justice. He said that the rulers would not be able to get a clean chit irrespective of whatever JIT is formed. He said that they would have to answer for each and every drop of martyrs’ blood and make the report of Judicial Tribunal public.