Daily Times

LAHORE: Children held a protest march “Justice for Zainab” that was led by Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) chief Dr Tahirul Qadri along with other political leadership including Shiekh Rasheed, Qamar Zaman Kaira, Nasir Sherazi, Kamil Ali Agha and others on Thursday and demanded the suspension of Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Law Minister Rana Sanaullah and Inspector General of Police (IGP) and exemplary punishment of culprit over the recent Kasur incident of rape and murder of minor girl.

Later, the political leadership held PAT’s Action Committee meeting to make strategy for the protest as per already announced by its Steering Committee in which PTI’s Jahangir Tareen, Abdul Aleem Khan, Shoaib Sadiqui, Chaudhry Fiaz Warriach, and Manzoor Wattoo of PPP and Khurram Nawaz Gandapur also participated and shared their options about scheduled demonstration.

Tahirul Qadri while talking to gathering at the March and later holding press conference confirmed that they had decided to link the Zainab Case with the Model Town tragedy and they would not leave the victim family till getting justice for seven years old girl of Kasur.

He demanded that if you eliminate crime and punish criminals then make Shehbaz Sharif, Law Minister, and the IG Police accountable. He said all of these mentioned above authorities should be suspended with immediate effect.

Qadri was of the view that It is a network of criminals behind the child abuse cases in Kasur and more powerful groups were behind each such incident that have already been done in Kasur in last 12 months.

He maintained that making low-ranking police officers OSD (officer on special duty) will make no difference but must make Punjab CM and Law Minister OSD and follow their parliamentarians and legislators and then the criminal network under them would be find out properly.

Qadri said that they would start its final round by protest from the Mall Road Lahore on 17th January in which hopefully all the central leadership of the participant parties of APC would also participate. He also confirmed that on 16th January, the Action Committee would also held a special meeting to make the strategy after the protest on January 17.

On this occasion, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Central Punjab President Qamar Zaman Kaira in the joint press conference showed his deep regret on the rape and murder of a girl and killings of two protesters saying that opening fire was used as extreme measure. He demanded resign of Shehbaz Sharif and Rana Sanaullah.

Sheikh Rasheed said that the time to march toward Jati Umra had come and then justice would be done when they would be ousted to it. On this occasion, the leadership also ensured that they would hold the protest as per given the rights in the constitution of Pakistan and they would remain peaceful.

In the Action Committee’s meeting, special Fatiha was also offered for the little Zainab and two protesters who were killed by police in straight fire during the protest against minor girl’s rape and murder.

Published in Daily Times, January 12^th 2018.