LAHORE: Pakistan Awami Tehrik (PAT) chief Dr Tahirul Qadri on Wednesday claimed that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif would not enjoy their offices by August 31.

Qadri said there was no option of dialogue or mid-term elections in revolution. “We have come out for securing bread, clothes and shelter for the people.” The PAT chief expressed these views during a press conference at the residence of PML-Q President Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain. Ch Pervaiz Elahi, Majlis Wahdat-e-Muslimeen President Allama Raja Nasir Abbas and Sunni Ittehad Council Chairman Sahibzada Hamid Raza were also present there.

Speaking on the occasion, Shujaat said he did not consider it appropriate to respond to PML-N’s ‘nonsense’ ministers, adding that the outcome of the revolution would be betterment of the people.

He said there was a lot of talk about democracy being in danger. “Is it democracy that the blood of 14 innocent citizens was shed and an FIR was not registered even after two months?”Terming the economic situation as alarming, Shujaat said he did not consider it democracy when people were committing suicides due to poverty and unemployment.

He said freedom could be obtained only after a revolution. “We talk about a revolution that is not only for democracy but essential for securing the rights of the people, ending unemployment, safeguarding life and property and becoming a dignified nation.”

Qadri said the Yaum-e-Shuhada on August 10 would be observed to pay homage to martyrs of Model Town and the soldiers martyred in Operation Zarb-e-Azb.Saying that the day would be observed peacefully, he warned if the people joining the event were stopped and harassed, then the government would be responsible for any disturbance.

He criticised the Punjab government for not registering the FIR of the Model Town incident even after the passage of two months and said forcing people to cast votes was not democracy.Qadri said they did not want to roll back the Constitution and only aimed at ending the occupation of rulers.

He blasted the government over its economic policies and citing the death of 30 persons in the LDA Plaza fire and setting ablaze the metro bus record claimed that the Model Town-like incidents had occurred in the past as well.

Qadri said 300 deaths were caused by fake medicines in the Punjab Institute of Cardiology but the inquiry report was shelved when it turned out to be against a close associate of the government.

He said the brother of a federal minister was given Rs12 billion for provision of clean drinking water but nothing had been done to substantiate its utilisation. He further alleged that the brother of Rana Mashhood had been appointed as legal adviser on tourism at a monthly salary of Rs1 million, which was a wastage of public money.

The PAT chief said foreign countries had told the FIA that he was not involved in money laundering. The rulers should resign over telling a lie, he added.In response to a question, he said the PML-N had been trying to contact him for the last one month but he had refused to meet them.

Pervaiz Elahi said they had made the Punjab Police an institution but Shahbaz Sharif destroyed it, adding that even children were ready to march towards Islamabad.Nasir Abbas said the government had made the police its military wing, while Hamid Raza said the people should not be provoked or it would be difficult to control them.

Source: www.thenews.com.pk