Terrorism, extremism & corruption major issues of 2017: Dr Tahir-ul-Qadri

PAT Chairman Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri has said that administrative, political and religious attitudes are hindering the establishment of durable peace. Talking on the eve of 2017, he said that we need to learn lessons from the mistakes of the past and reform our conduct and attitudes. He said that the stain of terrorism and extremism the people of Pakistan have been living with needs to be washed out and erased. He said that terrorism, extremism and corruption of the rulers are the major threats in 2017. He said that the people need to play their role in this regard.

Dr Tahir-ul-Qadri said that it is the masses who can keep the politicians and legislatures under check. He said that the facts and figures of progress and prosperity do not carry any value unless there is a discernible change in the living conditions of the common man. He identified self-accountability and transparency as the building blocks for functioning democracy.

The PAT Chairman said that 2016 was one of the worst years with regards to good governance, adding that accountability and transparency were made fun of and fundamental human rights were violated with abandon. He said that the families of the martyrs of Model Town tragedy remained deprived of justice. The characters involved in the Panama and News leaks scandals remained safe and secure from the reach of law. NAP was sabotaged and the recommendations of the Quetta tragedy Commission remained unimplemented.

Dr Qadri said that 2016 will also be remembered for excessive loans the government took both from domestic and international sources. He said that Parliament failed to play any role in this regard. He said that the people of Indian occupied Kashmir were subjected to the worst human rights violations but the government could not play its effective role at the diplomatic level to highlight the atrocities of the Indian security forces. He further stated that the claims of ending the energy crisis and overcoming the price hike proved to be mere rhetoric in the year 2016. He said that prices of medicines, sugar, and other edibles registered increase. He said that though the prices of the POL products came down significantly but the government did not pass on the relief to the masses in real terms.

Dr Tahir-ul-Qadri said that no character involved in the corruption scandal was punished. The Local Government institutions were robbed of the powers and resources. He said that the Punjab took the lead in terms of surge in crime rate in the country.

He said that the PAT will continue to play its role for peaceful change through democratic means. He said that the PAT workers will convey the message of the party in every household.