Nawaz now part of past, claim Chaudhrys

LAHORE: Pakistan Muslim League-Q leaders Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and Pervaiz Elahi said on Sunday Nawaz Sharif had become part of the past now after the Panama Papers case verdict. They were talking to the media along with Dr Tahirul Qadri at his party, Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) central secretariat in Model Town here. They said major culprits of Model Town massacre had been identified and soon they would be behind the bars. “We have been raising voice against this injustice from day one and will not rest till justice is done,” Ch Shujaat Hussain pledged. He said that the families of the martyrs question the reasons for which their loved-ones were shot dead, while the chief minister and the law minister played the role of silent spectators. He said Shahbaz Sharif would have to be answerable for his actions and when he would be punished for it, he too would act all naïve like his elder brother and ask. “Mujhe Kyun Nikala?” (Why I was ousted?). The PML-Q leadership said that after the release of Baqar Najafi report, the Punjab CM and law minister had no option but to resign and surrender themselves to the law. Ch Shujaat said when the PML-Q sided with PAT after the Model Town incident, many political leaders said that the efforts would prove futile and there was no possibility of the truth coming to light.

Ch Shujaat said that his party, however, stood strong and the media too played a vital role in keeping the issue alive.

Earlier, Awami Muslim League (AML) head Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed also called on the PAT chief and expressed complete support to his movement against the present regime.

Talking to the media, Sh Rasheed said Qadri's fight against tyranny had been successful, though the process would complete with the resignation of the Punjab chief minister.

"We are with Qadri," said Sh Rasheed, adding that the Sharifs would be out of office before March 30.

Accompanied by the PML-Q and Majlis-e-Wahdatul Muslimeen (MWM) leaders, Dr Tahirul Qadri demanded formation of a joint investigation team (JIT), on the lines of the one formed to probe Panama Papers case, to investigate the Model Town incident.

The PAT chief said the report of Justice Baqar Najafi declared Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif and Law Minister Rana Sanaullah killers, adding that "this is why they hid the report for three years".

Qadri said that instead of releasing the report, as ordered by the Lahore High Court, the government appealed against the decision.

"Every page of the report says they conspired to kill PAT workers," added Qadri.

The PAT leader said the government was keeping several people outside the country so they did not become approvers against it.

"We want a Panama-like JIT to investigate the case as the previous probe bodies did not do a complete job," he said.

Reiterating his demand for Shahbaz and Sanaullah's resignation and submission to police for investigation, Qadri said, "If they do not step down in peace, we will kick them out of power… without breaking the law".

MWM General Secretary Allama Raja Nasir Abbas also called on PAT chief Dr Tahirul Qadri at the party central secretariat and demanded immediate resignation of Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif and Law Minister Rana Sanaullah Khan.

The PAT chief thanked PML-Q and MWM leaders for their support and stated that these two had been siding with the Model Town affectees since day one. He also announced a lawyer convention at PAT Secretariat on Dec 14 under the title of ‘Justice Baqar Najafi report and justice for the Model Town martyrs.’