93 PAT workers released from jails

93 prisoners of Pakistan Awami Tehreek were released from the jails of Mianwali, Sheikhupura, Bhakkar, and Shahpur today. PAT Secretary General Khurram Nawaz Gandapur, Engineer Muhammad Rafiq Najam, Allama Rana Muhammad Idrees, Muhammad Asif Sulahria, and other central leaders warmly welcome the released workers and garlanded them as they came out.

Minhaj-ul-Quran International leader Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri congratulated the workers as well as their families on their release. He said that the workers had protested the oppression committed in Model Town as a result of which they fell victim to the vendetta of the Sharif brothers. He said that the workers underwent the rigours of imprisonment for 15 months. He said that the workers were like a mountain of patience, fortitude, and forbearance, adding that we are grateful to Allah Almighty for their release. He said that we are waiting for complete justice and the horrible end of the masterminds of Model Town tragedy.

Chairman MQI Supreme Council Dr Hassan Mohi-ud-Din Qadri and President Federal Council MQI Dr Hussain Mohi-ud-Din Qadri have also congratulated the workers and their families on the release. They lauded the resolve and courage of all the workers. They said that they are the role model for all religious and political forces and the pride of the entire organization.

It is pertinent to mention here that the baseless cases were registered against hundreds of workers on the orders of the Sharif brothers for protesting the massacre in Model Town. An anti-terrorism court Sargodha sentenced 113 workers to 5 years and 7 years in imprisonment in March 2019. These sentences were suspended by Lahore High Court in July 2020 after it accepted their bails and consequently ordered for their release.

Today 47 workers from Bhakkar jail, 17 from Shahpur jail, 8 from Sheikhupura jail, 14 from Mianwali jail, and 7 from Naushehra jail were released. PAT Secretary General Khurram Nawaz Gandapur welcomed the workers on their release in front of Mianwali jail. Speaking on the occasion he said that the baseless and misleading cases were registered against the PAT workers by the government of the Sharif brothers and they were sentenced to jail terms during the tenure of the present government. He said the workers suffered every kind of hardship but refused to submit to tyranny. They proved that the PAT workers are those who can neither be bought nor browbeaten into submission.

Naeem-ud-Din Chaudhry Advocate, a spokesperson for the legal matters of PAT, said that one prisoner Muhammad Sultan who was shifted to Karachi from Multan for the purpose of medical treatment, his release orders have been sent to Karachi jail and it is hoped that he would be released on Monday.

PAT and MQI leaders have thanked Makhdoom Majeed Hussain Advocate, Ali Bali Advocate, Naeem-ud-Din Chaudhry, and Shakeel Mumka Advocate for their sincere legal efforts to get the imprisoned workers released.