Holding Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif responsible for sorry state of affairs the country finds itself in, PAT chief Dr Tahir-ul-Qadri has thrown in a challenge of public debate to him. He said: there is an undemocratic and unconstitutional manner by which governance is being carried out. National institutions lack transparency. Economic programmes of the government are based on corruption. Privatization process is flawed and non-transparent. Appointments, promotions and transfers are being made in the state-owned entities in contravention of merit. Dynastic kingship is being established in the name of democracy. The millions of the poor do not figure anywhere on radar of national policies. The country does not have any credible foreign and domestic policies that may promote national harmony. People’s lives and properties are unsafe and the millions of people are deprived of basic necessities of life.

Dr Tahir-ul-Qadri expressed these views while addressing a press conference in Model Town on July 18. He asked Nawaz Sharif to prove with his competence, and abilities whether there is supremacy of the Constitution and real democracy or corruption and lawlessness literally hold sway over the country. He invited the Prime Minister to join him for a public debate in the presence of millions of people or a few thousand people and leading intellectuals and anchorpersons in some hall, adding that only the people would pass their verdict after listening to both of them.

Dr Tahir-ul-Qadri said that such public debates on key national issues are part of democratic norms and traditions in the civilized countries. He said that without sending the present government home, the destiny of the people cannot be changed for the better. He said that the incumbent system is against the Quaid-e-Azam’s ideals and a vision of a truly democratic Pakistan and has been designed to protect the economic and political interests of the powerful elite. He said that 180 million people are practically powerless and deprived of their basic necessities of life, stating it categorically that it is not possible to eliminate the system by being part of it. He said that a few thousand members of the elite have occupied the country’s politics and resources.

Dr Qadri said that anti-revolution forces are coward that are using devious tactics, stating that they would also fall in this cauldron. He said that revolution has become an ultimate and definitive reality with the help of Allah Almighty, hard work of workers and support of the masses. He said that post-revolution sketch is ready. He added that the national government, after the revolution, would conduct merciless accountability, bring about fundamental reforms in judiciary, electoral system, police, administration structure and all other walks of life and thus deliver prosperity to the masses at their doorsteps.

Dr Tahir-ul-Qadri stated that FIR of the victims has not been registered despite passage of one month since Model Town tragedy. He said that the Punjab government has exerted immense pressure on the health department and concerned hospital ordering them not to issue medical-legal reports of 90 people injured brutally and critically with live bullets of the Punjab police. He said that 53 PAT workers, who were sitting at a shrine on June 23, were arrested and charged under Anti-Terrorism Act. He said that rejection of their petition for bail represented extreme repression.

In reply to a question, Dr Qadri said that the Punjab government announced Rs. 10 million for a police official killed in a Raiwind shootout because police morale has gone many notches down after the Model Town incident. Warning the police officials not to accept illegal orders of the rulers, he said that if they still did so, they would be thrown out of their jobs and replaced by thousands of unemployed youth.

Dr Tahir-ul-Qadri’s open challenge of public debate to Nawaz Sharif

1. The manner of governance by the present government is unconstitutional.
    
2. The manner of governance by the present government is undemocratic.
    
3. The very manner in which the present rulers are conducting the government is against the supremacy of the Constitution and law and merely based on discretion and vested interests.
    
4. The present government’s manner of running the public sector enterprises is non-transparent and against the principles of merit, law, justice and the Constitution.
    
5. All economic programmes and policies of the present government are premised on corruption, plunder of state resources and expansion of their business empire.
    
6. Privatization policy of the present government lacks transparency and corruption is its central plank.
    
7. Appointments, promotions and dismissal of personnel at the public sector entities are in gross violation of merit and principles of law and justice.
    
8. The present government is a glaring example of dynastic kingship in the name of democracy.
    
9. The government’s policies do not cater for the millions of the poor and unemployed people, labourers, farmers, students, low-grade officials and individuals having modes resources. These segments of society neither figure in the rulers’ preferences nor planning.
    
10. The present government does not have any foreign and domestic policy. It does not have any course of action for promotion of national harmony among the federating units of the country.
     
11. The present government has completely failed in protecting the life, honour and property of the masses.
     
12. The present government has completely failed in fulfilling the basic rights and providing necessities of life to the masses.
     
13. The model of governance displayed the present rulers has nothing to do with democratic principles, law and the Constitution.
     
14. The present government has become a practical representation of state terrorism, repression, barbarism, and mass killing and the rulers has kept the oppressive order intact through political bargaining and oppression.
     
15. The country faces a number of threats to its survival at internal and external fronts as long as the present government stays in power. Thus, the toppling of the present rulers is necessary for survival of the state of Pakistan, its progress and stability.
16. The mother of all evils is exploitative, oppressive, undemocratic and unjust system which the present government has kept afloat under the fake rubric of democracy, elections and parliament. In fact, neither is there rule of democracy, and Constitution nor law.
     
17. This system is not only against the fundamental imperatives of the Constitution of Pakistan but also negates the basic and foundational principles of the Constitution. It also completely rejects the Quaid-e-Azam ideals and the vision of Pakistan.
     
18. This system has been designed and perpetuated for protection of economic and political interests of the powerful ruling elite and that it has kept the 180 million people powerless and deprived of their fundamental rights.
     
19. It is not possible to change the system from within. Neither is supremacy of the Constitution possible by remaining within confines of the system, nor can people get democratic rights and nor can corruption be eliminated and illegitimate ruling sent home.
     
20. The destiny of 180 million people cannot be changed for the better without eliminating this system altogether and sending the present government home. The mechanism of the institutions of Pakistan can neither be made transparent, nor can accountability be held, nor can supremacy of law be established, nor can the Constitution be enforced in totality, nor can justice delivered to the people and nor can they be provided with prosperity at their doorstep.