Islamabad: Authorities have banned public gatherings in Rawalpindi in an apparent bid to thwart a planned big welcome by Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) for their leader Dr Tahirul Qaqdri on his arrival from London via Dubai on Monday morning.
The district administration in the garrison city adjacent to Islamabad said the restriction would remain in force till Tuesday noon.
It said necessary steps were being taken for protection of Qadri and his activists in view of fears of terror attacks amid the ongoing military operation against terrorists in North Waziristan tribal region.
Local television channels said police were setting up roadblocks at different entry and exit points in Rawalpindi by placing containers.
PAT (Pakistan People’s Movement) spokesman Khurram Na waz said many workers and local leaders of the party have been detained in Rawalpindi and a other cities in Punjab province.
Dr Qadri, prominent Pakistani Islamic scholar having dual Canadian nationality, who is also patron-in-chief of religious Minhajul Quran international organisation, plans to travel from Rawalpindi to Punjab’s capital by road after arriving at the Benazir International Airport.
His stated mission to mobilise people to uproot what he calls the “corrupt system” in the country and bring about a revolution is seen by the government as an attempt to derail the democratic order.
Tension surged after ten PAT workers including two women were killed, allegedly by police firing, during violent clashes outside the Minhajul Quran secretariat and Qadri’s residence in Lahore on Tuesday.
Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, younger brother of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, fired his law minister Rana Sanaullah as well his principal secretary over the bloodshed.
He also set up a judicial tribunal to probe the incident, but PAT leadership rejected the move.
Speaking to reporters in London ahead of his departure, Qadri said if his party workers were hurt on Monday he would hold Prime Minister Sharif responsible for this.
The PAT leader advised party workers to remain calm and peaceful. He warned the government that it was “digging its own grave” through its “oppressive” actions.
Qadri reiterated support to the Pakistan army’s operation to rid the country of terrorists.
Information Minister Pervaiz Rashid said in a statement that Tahir-u Qadri wants to create an environment helpful for the terrorists at a time when operation against terrorists is being conducted.
Rashid accused the PAT leader of trying to disunite the nation and shift the focus from the antiterrorism operation to his “agitational” politics.
Qadri wants to “create chaos” in the country, the information minister said.
Leaders of various political parties including Imran Khan, chief of Tehreek e Insaf (PTI), condemned the roundup of PAT activists and what they termed “dictatorial conduct” of government.
