PTI is not part of any 'grand plan': Qureshi tells NA
Shah Mehmood Qureshi is addressing the joint session of parliament.
ISLAMABAD (Web Desk) – Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Vice Chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi clarified that purpose of sit-in outside the Parliament is to save the House.
“We are not here to burn the House but to save it,” he told the parliament.
Shah Mehmood Qureshi thanked leader of the opposition and other members for their views.
He said it is an historic moment and all the parliamentarians must play a serious role.
“I know there are few elements who want to put fuel on fire and there is a group as well that wants to resolve all the issues,” he added.
He said the parliament is very dear to him and he considers this building as his political holy site.
“I told PAT protestors that parliament is my political (ka’aba),” he said adding that, “It is our duty to protect the parliament but the question is, what kind of parliament.”
Shah Mehmood Qureshi said he is proud of PTI chief Imran Khan but Benazir Bhutto is behind his political training.
He said there is a perception that there is grand plan or a great script behind the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf protest but PTI never was and never will be part of any great plan that will undermine the democracy and constitution of Pakistan.
He said PTI did not invite any third party. Time is witness that who urged the third party to mediate in political crisis. The request to an institution (army) to resolve political crisis was against the spirit of the Charter of Democracy, he added.
Qureshi said PTI has only demanded transparent invesitgation of rigging in last year s general election.
"PTI is not protesting just now, its a tale of 14 months when protesters in Lahore & Karachi came on roads since the evening of May 11" he said.
He said it is not about the sit-in protest now but this whole crisis is the cry since May 2013 when people came to the streets in protest against election rigging.
Qureshi said "it is alleged that we staged dharna (sit-in) on some signal, wes we did this but signals given by our own party workers."
He said many people claimed that PTI protestors are coming to federal capital for bloodbath but history has witnessed that the protest has been totally peaceful.
"We started Azadi March with the resolve that if anyone imposed martial law, we will not only condemn it but will oppose it," he told the House.
The PTI leader said oath was taken from party workers that no one will enter any state building while marching towards the Red Zone.
On joining hands with Pakistan Awami Tehreek, Qureshi said Tahirul Qadri assured PTI of a peaceful struggle.
Refering to Model Town tragedy, Qureshi said "understand the frustration, the helplessness, the rage of those who had buried the murdered and were being denied FIR." .
He said PTI leaders argued on one demand and that was the resignation of the prime minister. PTI wants a system of election which is free & fair in Pakistan.
