Only thieves and thugs come to parliament: Qadri
Qadri demands electoral reforms, dissolution of assemblies, nonpolitical caretakers.
ISLAMABAD: Chief of Tehreek-e-Minhaj ul Quran Dr Tahirul Qadri giving two days deadline to the government to step down said that the parliament is protecting thugs and plunderers.
Address to the participants of sit in at D-Chowk on the 3rd day of sit-in, he said that the parliament is protecting the plunderers, claiming that they would flee soon. He said that democracy demands the protection of fundamental rights rather than encouraging competition between the powerful and poor.
Tehrik-e-Minhajul Quran Chief Tahirul Qadri has presented four demands for next general elections and gave an ultimatum to the government to decide till tonight.
Qadri presented his four demands, saying that elections should be held under article 62, 63 and 218 of the constitution.
In his second demand, Qadri made it clear that election commission of Pakistan should be dissolved and reconstituted again. He also demanded to dissolve federal and provincial assembles.
TMQ’s third demand was that there should be a neutral caretaker government, adding that caretaker government should not be formed as a result of ‘collusion’ between the federal government and the opposition.
However, he reiterated that he is not a candidate for a caretaker prime minister. TMQ leader said wants to be caretaker of the nation rather caretaker prime minister.
Caretaker set up should not be brought under a deal (Mukmukah) with two parties, he said in his fourth demand.
He praised judiciary for bravado and freedom and said that the government has left no chance to corner the institution.
He said that the tax evaders can never become the members of Parliament and such people cannot guard the country. Loyal and honest persons are required to rule the country, he added.
The firebrand cleric also said that the lawbreakers cannot be the lawmakers and such offenders have their places in jail and not in the parliament.
He stated that the parliament consists of members who got their loans waived off and questioned that how could they bring true democracy in the country.
Quoting sections 77 through 82 of the Representative of People’s Act, 1976, he said these provisions highlight corrupt practices, adding these practices should be totally curbed.
“There is no more space for these corrupt practices in our electoral process,” he said.
Tahirul Qadri said that our Parliament is full of defaulters and thieves who are serving as ministers. Seventy percent of the parliamentarians did not submit their tax return, and on the contrary, a defaulter of even Rs 10,000 is not eligible to become a member of the Parliament as per law, he said.
He, then, questioned the crowd if they have seen any corrupt person serving as a premier any where in the world.
Dr Qadri alleged that the current leadership does not accept the supremacy of judiciary and ridicule the courts. He said had it been in their control, they would have sacked the judiciary as well.
The TMQ leader said that the march will question the financial institutions that who borrowed loans and did not return. He said that according to law, a defaulter should be in jail but here they are ruling the country for the past five years.
Dr Tahirul Qadri vowed that the government’s days are numbered and that they would not allow general elections without true implementation of relevant articles of the constitution and Supreme Court’s ruling on electoral reforms.
Dr Qadri said that he also wants full implementation of the Supreme Court ruling of June 8, 2012 on electoral reforms.
“We want 100 percent implementation of this ruling,” he said, adding elections should be held after these reforms within 90 days.
Qadri also outlined a mechanism for the implementation of his demands. In this regard, he said first viable option for the implementation of reforms is that national and provincial assemblies should be dissolved immediately.
He said candidates for national and provincial assemblies should be screened thoroughly before the elections.
He again extended invitation to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan to join his sit-in in Islamabad for the change of corrupt political system.
He said that seven- point demands put forth by Khan are no different from TMQ’s demands.
He, therefore, said Imran Khan should strengthen his long march by joining it as Khan is sincere and he is not one of the corrupt people.
After reading newspaper statements, TMQ chief said it is pity for this nation, which is being governed by corrupt rulers, citing Law Minister Farooq Naek s claims that Prime Minister Ashraf was not named in the Supreme Court ruling.
He said he had SC’s ruling with him in which the court named PM Raja Pervez Ashraf.
Dr. Qadri said the corrupt leaders are trying to cast doubts on the Supreme Court’s integrity by linking it with the long march, adding "You are questioning the intentions of the Supreme Court. It is you who have ill-intentions.”
He said said he had no prior knowledge regarding the schedule of court hearing rental power projects (RPPs), adding, "I didn t even know the case was being heard yesterday."
The determined Dr. Qadri said the change will come because of this sit-in, if the participants’ resolve does not waiver.
“We don’t want lawbreakers to become lawmakers,” he demanded.
“People keep asking where Dr. Tahir-ul-Qadri has been. Where he has suddenly come from?” He said he didn t come last year as he did not want the government to say he was trying to destabilize it before the completion of its 5-year term.
“Now that your term is near completion, I have come. It is time for elections and it is time for you to leave,” Dr. Qadri added.
Tahir-ul-Qadri, while reading out the text of the laws, said the law and Constitution of Pakistan justify his charter of demands.
Citing Bob Hawke, the three-time Prime Minister of Australia, he said Australian leading politician told him that he went to Pakistan with massive investment plan during the tenure o present government; but after the project details were finalized, one of the high-ups approached him secretly and demanded thirty percent share in the projects.
He said New Zealand’s father-figure told him several years ago that one of the Pakistani prime ministers has half the share in one the biggest business has half shares.
“No representation without taxation; no representation with constitutional qualification, is his slogan,” he said.
As much as 40 percent votes are cast in this system; remaining 60 to 65 percent voters do not use their votes as they do not rely on this electoral system, he said adding the most of population lives in villages governed by ‘waderas’ and landlords, who exercise their influence on them.
“Ever since long march commenced, no crime, theft, robbery took place in Pakistan,” he asserted.
“My slogan is ‘corrupt status-quo must go’, ‘No more status quo’, ‘The protectors of status quo must go,’” he said.
