Pakistan Awami Tehreek chief Dr Tahirul Qadri on Saturday said that he would unveil his strategy of "Revolution March" on Sunday (today). He was talking to media persons outside Minhaj-ul-Quran where he directed his activists to stop their journey to Model Town and organise 'Martyrs' Day' at the district level. However, he made it clear that the central congregation of the 'Martyrs' Day' will be held at the Model Town where he will unveil his future strategy in connection with 'Revolution March'.
The PAT chief further claimed that as many as eight innocent and unarmed supporters of PAT were killed and hundreds seriously injured by the police when they were on their way to Lahore to observe Youm-e-Shuhada. He claimed over 20,000 workers were arrested throughout the country. "The whole country will be set on fire if the police tried to arrest me," Qadri warned, saying that the 'Martyrs Day' will be observed in the streets of every city of Pakistan.
He alleged that the Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif had ordered the police to open "direct fire" at the PAT activists, adding that "even the injured workers were not allowed to be given in medical care. He said that Punjab government had broken the record of cruelty in the last five days."
He further said that seven activists of PAT were "martyred" who came to Lahore to observe the day of martyrs, adding that the death toll has now reached to 21. Qadri further said that the authorities have stopped the supply of food and water to the party activists so that "they die of hunger."
On the occasion, Allama Raja Nasir Abbas said the government is willing to hold a dialogue with the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and not with them because "we were in favour of military offensive against the militants." The Model Town neighbourhood was virtually sealed off by the authorities. Pitched battles were also fought in other cities of Punjab when policemen tried to stop PAT workers from travelling to Lahore.
According to officials, 50 buses carrying PAT activists from Sargodha and other adjoining areas were en route to Lahore to participate in Qadri's 'Martyrs' Day' when police intercepted the convoy on Bahra Interchange on Motorway. According to reports, police beat up drivers. Angered by the police action, PAT workers on board the buses attacked the police, forcing them to run for safety. Activists also broke the window panes of the Toll Plaza situated on the same interchange. They set eight police vehicles on fire in Sargodha
According to police, PAT activists also clashed with police in several parts of Faisalabad division. Pitched battles were being fought in Lahore and other cities of Punjab as policemen tried to stop PAT workers from travelling to Lahore. By evening, Inspector General Punjab Mushtaq Ahmad Sukera ordered that all roads and interchanges in Punjab that were sealed off should be re-opened.
Talking to Business Recorder, DIG Operations Lahore Dr Haider Ashraf said that efforts to remove barriers from roads in Punjab are under way. He said "the main priority is the law and order situation of the city. Meanwhile, Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) chief Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, PML-Q Punjab president Chaudhry Pervez Elahi and Awami Muslim League chief Sheikh Rasheed were stopped at Model Town by police when they were on their way to Qadri's residence. However, they managed to reach his residence on foot. Mobile phone services have been suspended in areas surrounding the Minhajul Quran secretariat. Following the deteriorating security measures, Rangers has been deployed outside the residence of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in Raiwind.