LAHORE, Pakistan: The Chairman Pakistan Peoples’ Party (PPP) Bilawal Bhutto Zardari won the support of Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) for his election in Lahore’s NA-127 Constituency after he visited Minhaj Ul Quran Secretariat and demanded strict punishment for those responsible for the 2014 Model Town massacre.
On June 17, 2014, the Punjab Police killed 14 PAT activists including a pregnant woman and left around 100 further injured when clash erupted between them over removal of barriers from near Dr. Tahirul Qadri’s Minhaj Ul Quran Headquarters in Model Town Lahore.
The PTA held the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s (PML-N) Punjab government including the then Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif and Law Minister Rana Sana Ullah responsible for the massacre. However, it’s almost been nine years now but the real culprits are still roaming free and enjoying immunity.
So as it’s believed that Pakistani politicians are least concerned with any morality or conscience, Bilawal Bhutto – who recently enjoyed 16-month rule along with the PML-N allegedly responsible for Model Town massacre – now merely for the sake of politics visited the PAT Martyrs Monument and laid a floral wreath.
Bilawal also filled the membership form of Minhaj Ul Quran.
منہاج القرآن سیکریٹریٹ لاہور پہنچ کر 2014 میں ماڈل ٹاؤن میں شہید ہونے والے 14 جبکہ اسلام آباد میں شہید ہونے والے منہاج القرآن کے 9 شہداء کی یادگار پر حاضری دی اور پھول چڑھائے۔ اس موقع پر منہاج القرآن سیکریٹریٹ میں 24 گھنٹے ذکر و اذکار کے مقام گوشہ درود کا دورہ کیا اور پاکستان… pic.twitter.com/jUBcnl9Wnu
— BilawalBhuttoZardari (@BBhuttoZardari) January 12, 2024
The Chairman PPP also met the PAT Secretary General Khurram Nawaz Gandapur, Senior Vice President Raja Zahid Mehmood, Vice President Mian Zahidul Islam, Secretary Information Noorullah Siddiqui, Secretary Coordination Arif Chaudhry, Deputy Secretary Coordination Sardar Umar Daraz Khan, and other Officials.
Meanwhile, the PAT Secretary General Khurram Nawaz Gandapur announced to support Bilawal Bhutto Zardari in NA-127 Lahore.
Khurram Nawaz Gandapur said that the PAT will hold a public rally in Lahore and announce its support publicly.
The PAT Secretary General said that the PAT has supported the PPP in the bye-elections.
Gandapur thanked the Chairman PPP for supporting the PAT’s stance on the Model Town incident.
Talking to journalists after the visit, Bilawal said that we want to make Pakistan a modern state and wish to show a moderate face of Islam to the world. He said that we want to continue good relations with the Minhaj Ul Quran.
Bilawal Bhutto also demanded that an impartial investigation of the Model Town incident should be conducted.