Activists of Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) and Tehreek Minhajul Quran (TMQ) took out a protest rally here on Thursday at the Mall Road against the Model Town incident. They blocked the road from Regal to Faisal Chok. The protest rally led by PAT Lahore President Ahmed Nawaz Anjum gathered at the Mall Road and staged a sit-in which was started at 5pm.
Members of other parties including Pakistan Muslim League Quaid-e-Azam, MQM, joined the protest rally to show solidarity with them. The protesters chanted slogans against the Punjab government, the Chief Minister and the Provincial Law Minister for using police force to kill peoples. They also demanded resignation of the Punjab CM as well as the PM.
Due to the protest, traffic coming from Lower Mall Road and various link roads was diverted to alternative routes, resulting in long queues of vehicles on various road of the city because most of the commuters were heading towards their homes for Iftari. To express solidarity with the protesters, many political leaders including prominent Pakistan Muslim League-Q leader Chaudhry Zaheeruddin, former Law minister Raja Basharat, General Secretary Punjab PML-Q Semal Kamran, Kanwal along with women workers arrived at the sit-in. They remained with the protesters for some time and condemned the police action on PAT workers in Lahore.
Speaking to the gathering, PAT leaders refused to accept the judicial commission and said the government should resign for killing innocent people. PAT Lahore President said the incident in Lahore exposed the claims of the government about respecting democratic norms. The government, which failed to protect lives of the people, should be removed, he demanded.
"PAT wants to change the present system and planned to bring a peaceful rally to highlight the bad governance of the ruling elite. The PML-N government in Punjab proved that it does not have respect for supremacy of law," he said. Anjum further said Dr Tahirul Qadri would change Pakistan as per schedule and people would support him to change the system which did not value the lives of people.
PAT Deputy General Secretary Mansoor said the government was scared of Dr Qadri's popularity and used police force to kill people, instead of taking measures to protect their lives Talking to BR Reporter, PAT Information Secretary Suhail Abbasi said the basic aim of holding the sit-in was to record the protest against injustices because culprits were still at large.
"The only compensation for the lost lives would be to change the system and give rights to the people, which have been enshrined in the constitution. Trader-rulers will give money as compensation, but we demand change in the system and the provision of rights to the people," he said.
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