'We didn't want to waste workers' energy, resources' Qadri on low attendance during Mall Road protest

LAHORE: Rejecting reports in a section of media, Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) chief Tahir-ul-Qadri on Thursday said that the “low attendance” in January 17 All Parties Protest against Model Town massacre was due to the fact that the organizers decided not to call workers from outside Lahore, ARY News reported.

“We were expecting that a next and a bigger phase will come, so we didn’t want to waste resources and our workers’ energy in the very first phase, we will move step by step,” said Qadri whose party brought together rivals Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on one stage to demand justice for 2014 Model Town massacre.

He maintained that there were not ’empty seats’ as it was a prolonged rally which proceeded for several hours without interruption so people came and went leaving some chairs empty, a fact blown out of proportion by political opponents.

Qadri said that he considers it an achievement that the January 17 protest rally which saw PTI and PPP addressing attendees in two different sessions, two PTI leaders spoke during the session presided by Asif Zardari while two PPP leaders addressed while Imran Khan was leading the protest.

“Such a move was unimaginable in the current circumstances when political parties are quarreling over differences. I consider it an achievement… 100 percent,” Qadri said.

Major opposition parties including the PTI, PPP, Pakistan Muslim League-Q and Pak Sarzameen Party demanded justice for the 2014 Model Town Massacre victims in the protest rally in Lahore.

The movement was aimed at mounting pressure on Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif and Law Minister Rana Sanaullah to resign for their alleged role in the incident.

Read More: All Parties Protest: Opposition lashes out at Sharifs, Sheikh Rasheed announces resignation from NA

The day saw rivals Asif Ali Zardari and Imran Khan pointing fingers at the ruling PML-N for their alleged anti-state activities and police brutality in Kasur and Model Town incidents.

Following the public gathering, leaders of the ruling parties said people have rejected the political antics by ‘political cousins’.

They said it had failed miserably and was not even able to fill up the ’empty seats’.

wn issue and the PAT will hold separate meetings with its countrywide executives and federal council members then a final meeting with the allies parties will make a final decision.