The deadline set by Dr Tahirul Qadri for the installation of a caretaker setup in consultation with the judiciary and the army expires on Thursday (today), but so far the government has neither expressed its willingness to accept these demands nor has it extended any invitation for talks.
The ruling PPP and the PML-N, despite differences on several other issues, have closed ranks and are expected to announce their future line of action on Thursday when Prime Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf and PML-N President Nawaz Sharif will address an all-party conference to be held here under the auspices of the Supreme Court Bar Association.Leaders of the PML-Q, the MQM, the Awami National Party, the Jamaat-i-Islami and Pakistan National Party will also give their points of view about the long march.
Dr Qadri is also scheduled to address a news conference on Thursday to make public his future strategy. So far, the government and the Tehrik Minhajul Quran are sticking to their positions, with no sign of either side budging on its stance.President Zardari presided over a meeting of the PPP’s Core Committee in Karachi on Wednesday, which decided that the elections would be held on time and no party would be allowed to sabotage the process.
Mr Zardari has also convened a meeting of his coalition partners for Thursday to review the situation afresh and take collective decisions.The TMQ chairman has told his supporters in categorical terms that it is “now or never” situation, and in case a revolution could not be brought about this time, never ever in future would such an opportunity arise.Political parties have not opposed the agenda given by Dr Qadri. But they say the elections should be held on time at all costs.
The TMQ chief also says that the polls may be held on schedule even after enforcing the desired electoral reforms.The Muttahida Qaumi Movement is the only party which has expressed fullest support to Dr Qadri’s agenda and has announced that it will take part in the long march.Although Dr Qadri wants a role for the judiciary and the army in the selection of a caretaker setup, neither institution has supported his plans.TMQ Information Secretary Qazi Faizul Islam, while talking to TheNation, said that dozens of smaller parties and over 250 important spiritual leaders have supported Dr Qadri’s programme.
He made it clear that the TMQ and MQM supporters would not call off the sit-in in Islamabad unless all demands of Dr Qadri are met. Also, he said, since the rulers had a very poor record of credibility, Dr Qadri would not trust any of them.“We want institutions to stand guarantors for whatever the rulers say.”But when pointed out that the institutions for whom Dr Qadri was seeking a role in the selection of a caretaker setup were keeping silent, Qazi said the TMQ wanted people’s support, not the support of any other institution.
We are not in contact with any institution.” He said if the elections were held without the desired reforms, the country’s unity would face a serious threat.He alleged that the Punjab government was hypocritical in its attitude. In public it was saying that it would not block the march, but otherwise it was pressuring the transporters not to make any deal with the TMQ to take their supporters to Islamabad. “We’ll resist such tactics,” said Qazi Faiz.