Minhaj-ul-Quran International organized a one-day Workers Convention on April 9 in Lahore, which was addressed by Shaykh-ul-Islam Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri.

The proceedings of the Convention got underway with the recitation from the Holy Quran followed by Naat after evening prayer. The central leaders welcomed the incoming guests for their attendance of the Workers Convention. The shields were distributed among the workers for their achievement of various organizational targets and excellent performance for promotion of peace, interfaith harmony and dialogue.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr Raheeq Abbasi said that Shaykh-ul-Islam Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri is protecting Islam from the forces of terrorism and extremism who are bringing a bad name to religion through their reprehensible actions. He said that his Fatwa against terrorism has been a watershed in fighting against terrorism and extremism and knocked the bottom from under the feet of terrorists and their handlers.

Shaykh-ul-Islam Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri has directed the workers of Minhaj-ul-Quran International and Pakistan Awami Tehreek to launch mass contact campaign to bring about change in the system and make ten million people members of MQI. He said that the present system, which has been geared to protect the interests of the 3% of the elite to the detriment of 97% people, is exploitative, anti-democratic and anti-people. The workers, he said in the same context, need to step in the arena to create awareness among the masses against the cruel system. Regretting that Pakistan’s political system is monopolized by a handful of families, he said that people are caught up in a vicious cycle of dynastic cycle.

The current electoral system, he added, does not give any space to competent, honest and educated people and it must, therefore, be said good-bye. He said that the workers would have to work very hard to put these facts before the people. The present system gives space to the dishonest leadership leading them to say that they have got together to protect the system, which means protecting their vested interests.

He stated categorically that the system for which political leaders across party divide have vowed to save is enemy of people and the country. The nation should get united against this corrupt and exploitative system to regain their voice as agent of real change. He said that the workers of PAT and MQI would go to the door-steps of people to make them realize the gravity of situation and achieve the target of making ten million people members of this grand campaign. Educating people about the current state of affairs is the first responsibility of the workers.

Shaykh-ul-Islam Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri expressed these views while delivering a speech from Canada to the thousands of workers and office bearers of MQI and PAT at a prestigious Workers’ Convention at Jamia al-Minhaj the other day. Dr Raheeq Ahmad Abbasi, Secretary General of MQI, Sheikh Zahid Fayyaz, G.M. Malik, Ahmad Nawaz Anjum, and other central leaders were also present on the occasion. Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri said that dubbing the present pro-elite arrangement as democratic system is the humiliation of democracy and violation of representative rule. Both so-called religious parties and secular political forces are part of the system and hence on the same page to keep the political status quo intact for their parochial benefit.

He stated it clearly that MQI and PAT stood for elimination of system which the elite has established to protect their interests and not the Constitution and state structure. He regretted that religious and political parties have said a final adieu to the culture of manifesto. Today abusing each other on TV has become another manifesto in the country.

He said that political parties talk of public issues and manifesto throughout the world to seek people’s mandate but in Pakistan, the entire focus remains on the winning horses, which is the major impediment in the way of emergence of popular leadership. With people’s struggle against the corrupt system, Pakistan would get out of its current woes and be on the path of progress and prosperity.

Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri said that the nation has been divided into various sectarian, ethnic and linguistic divisions under the policy of ‘divide and rule’ so that the elite could have its firm grip on power. He stated the slogans invoking democracy and religion are raised to fetch votes only. The country’s institutions are being destroyed one after the other as is reflected from the dissolution of the Higher Education Commission (HEC). He asked the people to stand up against the government’s decision to disband the HEC as it was a matter of collective interest.

Dr Tahir-ul-Qadri instructed the workers to educate people about the ill-effects of the political system currently in vogue in the country, which has make it impossible for people to determine their own future. He said that the Parliament has failed to rise up to the expectations of people and resolve their problems. “It is nothing more than a debating forum. It is people’s chief responsibility to bring about change in the system. The workers of PAT and MQI are working tirelessly for the promotion of peace, interfaith dialogue and harmony in the world,” he concluded.

DVD - A Call for Change in the System by Shaykh-ul-Islam