LAHORE – Tehrik Minhajul Quran chief Dr Tahirul Qadri has accused the rulers of “promoting terrorism to divert public attention from their corruption, loot and plunder”.
Addressing lawyers’ convention at TMQ Secretariat on Wednesday, he said no matter how much terrorising and harassment the government made, the long march would be held at all costs.
Qadri said he had incorporated the martyrdoms in his agenda for change so that the success could be achieved by offering sacrifices. He warned the ruling elite and their gangs wanted to return to power at all costs to continue their loot and plunder but he was determined not to allow any more corrupt rulers in the office and their electoral dictatorship. He said rulers knew their case was weak that was the reason they were avoiding negotiations with him. He offered to negotiate with those who speak truth and justice. He said the rulers only believed in negotiations for the sake of conspiring and compromising.
He continued that there was no treasury and opposition in the country since all sides were united on plundering public money and national exchequer. He vowed not to take rest without succeeding in making proposed reforms in electoral and political process. He said electoral process was made so costly that not even the affluent could afford to contest elections fairly what to talk of common man, whereas party tickets were sold for millions of rupees in the name of party funds. He also praised the struggle of lawyers for the sake of rule of law and democracy.
Online reported Qadri as saying that the purpose of January 14 long march is aimed at 'exterminating snakes', living in Islamabad for the past 65 years. Talking to a private TV channel, he vowed to "check body tattoos of those, who would dare check out National Computerised Identity Cards (NCIDs) during the long march.
He warned that all nefarious efforts, threats to create panic and fear in long march had elicited more participants in the long march, whose goal would be elaborated on January 12; while millions would stay in Islamabad until the goals were achieved in letter and spirit.
He berated the fact that 1973 Constitution was not being implemented in letter and spirit, something that was only possible if political parties developed self-confidence.
He said that courts should give at least a month to clear all candidates for contesting elections, in accordance with rules and regulations of the Constitution.
He lambasted the 'elected candidates' over a mere margin of 10 per cent -12 per cent of votes, while the remaining bulk belonged to opposing groups.
Ruling out any specific need for any dialogue, he made it abundantly clear that he would only hold dialogue with the prime minister and cabinet.
He said that efforts to stop the long march were undemocratic in nature as holding protest rallies was a democratic right.
"Any attempt to do that would be tantamount to creating anarchy and chaos, since people were unarmed and mean no harm.
Replying to a question, he said that life and death were in Allah's hands, and matters of life and death on such occasions were of no consequence.