A look at Tahir-ul-Qadri's political career

Tahir-ul-Qadri retired from politics on September 14, 2019. m

LAHORE (Dunya News) - The Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) chief Tahir-ul-Qadri today (September 14) announced to quit the politics and pay focus on his academic commitment and writings.

Beginning of the Pakistan Awami Tehreek

Qadri founded the Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) in May 1989 with a main goal to provide law and order measures for the common man, to honor the human rights, eradication of the poverty and standard education for everyone in Pakistan.

PAT members contested for the general elections in 1990 whereas Tahir-ul-Qadri was elected as a member of the National Assembly for his constituency. However, On November 29, 2004, Qadri announced his resignation as the member of the National Assembly protesting the counter terrorism policies of the then President Pervez Musharraf

Vision on terrorism

On March 2, 2010, Qadri published a historic 600-page-long religious decree on terror activities, esp. suicide bombings citing references from the Holy Quran, Hadiths and texts from various Islamic scholars in his book. His fatwa aimed to highlight the activities conducted in the name of Islam and asserted that the suicide bombings are strictly prohibited in Islam whereas Islam only emphasizes on peace.

His decree also declared people, conducting such terror activities, equal to non-believers. Qadri cited many references from Islamic history asserting the government to curb the terrorism from its root in his work.

PAT chief also visited India in 2012 to launch his book based on the aforementioned religious decree.

Million Man March

While addresing the nation at the Minar-e-Pakistan expressing that the system adopted by the government has utterly failed and he will be the first Pakistani to protest if the military intervene in the future.

Qadri gave an ultimatum to the government to improve the situation by Jan 10, 2012 to avoid the long march towards Islamabad. Qadri later called for a "million-man" march in Islamabad to protest against the government‘s corruption.

On Jan 1, 2013, Qadri with his newly-formed alliance with Altaf Hussain, chief of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), promised to form the capital into the Tahrir Square of Pakistan on Jan 14.

Qadri led a rally from Lahore with a promising large number to perform a peaceful demonstration in Islamabad for overdue electoral reforms. After four days of sit-in, the Government and Qadri signed an agreement called the Islamabad Long March Declaration, which promised electoral reforms and increased political transparency.

Pakistan Muslim League - Nawaz (PML-N) President Nawaz Sharif termed Qadri’s views as ‘imported agenda’ to disrupt the electoral process as Qadri’s agenda was not very famous among many leading politicians who were looking to participate in the general elections.

On Jan 11, the MQM left Qadri in lurch citing ‘graved security threats’ soon after a series of blast martyred scores of people in Quetta, but Qadri stayed firmed and expressed that the March would still take place as per the original plan.

On 17 June 2014, a violent clash occurred between the Punjab Police and PAT activists, when police attempted to remove barriers from Dr Qadri’s residence, resulting in the deaths of 14 protesters, including women, from police gunfire. Besides, dozens of demonstrators sustained critical bullet wounds.

Inqilab March

As of the end of September 2014, the PAT began ‘Inqilab March’, with sit-in protests with along with Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan, and the organiser of 2014 Azadi March, in the capital of Pakistan, Islamabad.

Both marches were organised to take different routes, albeit closely mirroring each other. It is apparent that the two parties have similar objectives yet different aims and strategies.

The sit-in continued for 126 days in the tenure of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government.

Tahir-ul-Qadri has stayed a prominent name in the game of politics for a considerate time as he sheathed his sword on Sept. 14, 2019.