LAHORE - Pakistan Awami Tehrik chief Tahirul Qadri on Tuesday said that the brutality of police on the party workers, resulting in killing of eight people including women, would become reason for an early revolution. “The revolution which was inevitable would come sooner after the Tuesday tragedy,” he added. 
Addressing a news conference through video link from Canada, the PAT chief said that a case would be registered against Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif for the murder of his party workers. Furious Qadri also held other PML-N leaders including Chaudhry Nisar, Rana Sanaullah, Saad Rafique and Abid Sher Ali responsible for the incident. He denounced the police’s operation outside his residence in Model Town and termed it state terrorism. He also criticised the Punjab CM for denying responsibility for the killings of his party workers. He said that all those who were killed would receive ‘eye-for-an-eye’ justice (Qisas). He said that the police took action, on the orders of the government, because of his support for the army during the ongoing operation in North Waziristan. “We are being punished for supporting Pak Army,” he said. He said anyone who stood by the army was seen by the rulers as their biggest enemy. He said that the government had been against the military since the 1990s.
Qadri claimed that the government was never in favour of the army operation in North Waziristan and had to approve it since the rulers had no choice. He alleged that the government was, in fact, trying to give the terrorists time for their regrouping and facilitate them in the name of dialogue.
He also said that the other reason for the Tuesday’s police action was to threaten him and his party, as he was coming to Pakistan within a few days. He told the media that 83 workers were injured while 40 were critical among them. The state terrorism won’t be tolerated, why barriers were not removed four years ago, he said. All barriers were erected on court orders, none of them was creating hurdle for anyone. The state terrorism was taken to new heights on Tuesday and everyone witnessed it, he said. He said the Tuesday’s state terrorism was conducted in order to foil the military operation in North Waziristan.
The clash started when the PAT workers tried to stop police from removing barriers outside Qadri’s house and party secretariat in Model Town. Police baton-charged and shelled the demonstrators for not letting them do their job. During the clash, police also arrested many protesters for creating trouble.
Meanwhile, Jamaat-e-Islami chief Sirajul Haq condemned the police action against the PAT workers, expressing deep grief over the casualties in the incident. In a  statement here, he said that a democratic government was supposed to adopt lawful and democratic attitude but the brutal police torture on the PAT workers and straight firing resulting in eight deaths and dozens injuries, proved that the rulers had least regard for democratic and legal norms. He also expressed his condolences to the bereaved families and prayed for the quick recovery of the injured.
Meanwhile, a JI delegation headed by JI deputy Secretary General Dr Farid Ahmed Paracha visited Jinnah Hospital to enquire after the health of the injured PAT workers. Later, talking to the media men, he said that state terrorism against the PAT workers and straight firing on them was sheer fascism. He said the JI fully shared the grief of the PAT workers. He called for a judicial enquiry into the incident.
The Sunni Ittehad Council also strongly condemned the brutal incident and killing of eight PAT workers including women. In a statement issued here, SIC chief Sahibzada Hamid Raza Kazmi announced a 3-day mourning and said his party would observe Friday as protest day. He said Dr Qadri was not alone. He demanded the CJP to take suo-moto notice of the issue. He also demanded launching of an FIR against Punjab CM Shahbaz Sharif.
While condemning the incident, Jamiat Ulema-e-Pakistan (JUP) president Pir Ijaz Hashmi said that the Model Town incident wherein eight persons were killed was a slap on the face of ‘democratic rulers.’
A delegation of Majlis-e-Wahdate Muslimeen visited Minhajul Quran Secretariat and Jinnah Hospital to enquire after the injured PAT workers. Talking on the occasion, MWM leader Abu Zar Mehdvi condemned the incident and announced to observe mourning day on Wednesday (today) against the incident.