PAT announces its support for PTI in NA-101 by-poll

Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) has announced to support the PTI candidate for NA-101 by-elections. It has also decided to convene an All-Parties Conference on the Model Town tragedy on March 28. These announcements were made after long and thorough deliberations and discussions at the central secretariat between the delegations of the PAT and PTI led by Khurram Nawaz Gandapur and Jahangir Khan Tareen respectively. The deliberations were joined in by Sarwar Khan, Abdul Aleem Khan, MWM leader Nasir Sherazi, PAT President of provincial chapter Basharat Jaspal, PAT Gujranwala President Badar-uz-Zaman Chatha, PAT candidate for NA-101 Asjad Hussain, Amjad Majeed Butt, and Ch Nisar.

Matters relating to Model Town tragedy, corruption, threatening statements in respect of NAB, vindictive activities, and law and order situation came under discussion. The meeting was followed by media chat in which Khurram Nawaz Gandapur and Jahangir Khan Tareen addressed the media and apprised the media men of the details of the meeting.

Speaking to the media, Jahangir Khan Tarheen said that we are thankful to the PAT leadership for extending their support for the PTI candidate for NA-101 by-elections. He said that both parties will also form a joint strategy in regard to the upcoming elections in Azad Kashmir. He said that if the rulers did not desist from corruption, obduracy and vindictive actions, we can take to streets again. He said that we would take active part in the APC on the Model Town tragedy, adding that this tragedy is the worst ever involving violations of the human rights. He said that we would neither forget it nor can it be forgotten. He further said that the NAB should not be restricted to Sindh and that it should come to Punjab as well.

Nasir Sherazi of Majlis-e-Wahdat-ul-Muslimeen (MWM) said on the occasion that the government is taking vindictive action against us everywhere including in Gilgit-Baltistan. He said that the rulers should not trespass their constitutional bounds, otherwise we know how to protect ourselves. He said that the PAT and MWM have decided to support the PTI candidate in Gujranwala.

PAT Secretary General Khurram Nawaz Gandapur said that the APC on the Model Town tragedy can become a starting point for launch of a protest movement against the rulers. He said that the present rulers have crossed all limits of corruption and all paths leading to justice in Model Town case have been blocked. Orange train after the metro bus project is a means of plunder. He said that the rulers are not serious in implementation of the NAP, otherwise the heart-rending terrorist incidents like one in Shabqadr may not happen repeatedly.

The PAT Secretary General has said that the rulers have decided to establish seven new anti-terrorism courts to defame and obstruct the functioning of the constitutionally sanctioned military courts. He said that they want to prolong the war on terror through their actions so that the national security institutions remain involved in the efforts to establish peace. He said that the Punjab government is violating Article 25-A by handing over the government schools to NGOs. He said that provision of free education to children is the responsibility of the government of the day, not NGOs. He said that all these matters will come under discussion in the APC on 28th of March.

Khurram Nawaz Gandapur further stated that at the moment 95% of the private schools in Punjab are closed due to stubbornness of the government and hundreds of thousands of students are the real losers. He demanded of the government to shun obduracy and hold a dialogue with private schools association. He said that the people have lost faith in democracy due to the flawed governance of the rulers.