Tag: PAT

Lahore, January 08, 2022 (PPI-OT):The whole nation is in deep pain and anguish over the Murree tragedy in which scores of individuals lost their lives in extreme cold. We share the grief and sorrow of the bereaved families who lost their loved ones in the tragedy and pray to Allah Almighty to rest the departed souls in peace.

These views were expressed by central PAT President Qazi Zahid Hussain and Secretary General Khurram Nawaz Gandapur in their joint statement. They said that a combination of heavy snow and rainfall left the people stranded on the roads and caused the loss of such precious lives.

The PAT leaders said that the district administration should have made requisite arrangements keeping in view the large influx of people coming to Murree. They said that the provision of timely information and red alert would have saved tourists the agony of traffic jams and ensuing tragedy.

The PAT leaders stated that incompetence and mismanagement combined to cause a tragedy that has plunged the whole nation into a state of grief. They asked as to why hundreds of thousands of people were allowed to drive their way to Murree when the capacity to absorb them was limited. They demanded a complete probe into the tragedy and said that SOPs need to be put in place to avert such horrible incidents in future.

For more information, contact:
Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT)
365-M, Model Town,
Lahore, Pakistan
Tel: +92-42-111-140-140
Email: info@pat.com.pk
Website: www.pat.com.pk

Lahore, January 07, 2022 (PPI-OT):A meeting of the PAT Central Executive Council (CEC) was held at the central secretariat in which matters related to the local bodies elections came under discussion. The local PAT chapters and office-holders were given instructions regarding appropriate candidates. The meeting also decided to launch a coordinated mass contact campaign ahead of LG polls.

At the same time, the participants agreed to complete the organizational infrastructure throughout the country. The CEC strongly condemned the arrest of Naseer Jadoon, president of PAT Hazara zone and the humiliating treatment of police. The conduct of police was termed as the negation of democratic norms and values and freedom of expression. The meeting demanded investigation into the matter.

Addressing the meeting, PAT Secretary General Khurram Nawaz Gandapur said that the attitude of the KP police towards a senior PAT leader is deserving of condemnation and accountability. He asked the government to show tolerance. He said that Naseer Khan Jadoon did not do anything that deserved this kind of police highhandedness.

Those who attended the meeting included Raja Zahid Mahmood, Mian Rehan Maqbool, Noor Ahmad Sahoo, Qazi Shafique, Noorullah Siddiqui, Arif Chaudhry, Naeem-ud-Din Chaudhry Advocate, Ayesha Mubashir, Umme Habib Ismail, Dr Sultan Mahmood Chaudhry and others. Central PAT President Qazi Zahid Hussain and Ibrar Raza Advocate joined the meeting online.

Khurram Nawaz Gandapur further stated that PAT considers the proportional representation and the strong local government institutions the guarantee of the resolution of public issues. He said that the stronger the local government institutions are, the more effective they will be in resoling the problems facing the masses and delivering quality services to them at the grass-roots. He said that the government has delayed the local government polls, adding that PAT expects that no further delay will be allowed now and the institutions meant for public service will be manned by the chosen representatives of the people.

For more information, contact:
Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT)
365-M, Model Town,
Lahore, Pakistan
Tel: +92-42-111-140-140
Email: info@pat.com.pk
Website: www.pat.com.pk

Lahore, December 27, 2021 (PPI-OT):PAT Secretary General Khurram Nawaz Gandapur has welcomed the statement given by President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin. He said that President Putin rightly stated that blasphemous remarks that hurt the feelings and sensibilities of Muslims are not freedom of expression. He said that the West should look inwardly and reign in the rising storm of populism and Islamophobia, stating that the present state of things will lead to horrible consequences if no correction action is taken.

Khurram Nawaz Gandapur said that Islam teaches its followers to respect all holy personages, religious figures and prophets. He said that the faith of a Muslim cannot be complete unless he/she has his faith in all the prophets and the divine Books. He said that blasphemous caricatures are reflective of a diseased mindset, adding that those indulging in such practices want the clash among religions. He said that the path of such notorious characters need to be blocked through legal means. “The United Nations is ably suited to carry out an exercise in law-making against blasphemy of holy personages and symbols. All Western leaders should pay heed to what President Putin has said,” he added.

For more information, contact:
Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT)
365-M, Model Town,
Lahore, Pakistan
Tel: +92-42-111-140-140
Email: info@pat.com.pk
Website: www.pat.com.pk

Lahore, December 23, 2021 (PPI-OT):PAT Secretary General Khurram Nawaz Gandapur has said that it was on 23rd of December 2012 when Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) under the dynamic leadership of Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri challenged the three most powerful segments of the political elite namely, feudal lords, political bigwigs and industrialists by raising the slogan of “let us save the State, not politics” for the first time in history. He said it was on this day that the PAT arranged a mammoth public meeting to subordinate the electoral system under the constitution and purge it of all instances of rigging. He said that the Jalsa represented the outpouring of people’s aspirations for real democracy in the country.

PAT Secretary General said that Dr Tahir-ul-Qadri had stated nine years ago that even if 100 elections are held under this rigged electoral system, the change would not come about. He said that Dr Qadri always spoke about ending the status quo and the exploitative system. He endeavoured to present an alternative political, welfare and democratic model that would empower people and be in line with the letter and spirit of the constitution.

Khurram Nawaz Gandapur said that Dr Tahir-ul-Qadri identified the social, political and economic ailments afflicting the body politic in the public meeting at Minar-e-Pakistan. He said that the Pakistani people expressed their agreement with this diagnosis but the elite got together to conspire against the public consensus for real democracy. “As long as this outdated and elitist electoral system continues to hold sway, the real representatives of the people cannot reach the assemblies, which means that the masses’ miseries will keep on growing,” he concluded.

For more information, contact:
Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT)
365-M, Model Town,
Lahore, Pakistan
Tel: +92-42-111-140-140
Email: info@pat.com.pk
Website: www.pat.com.pk

Lahore, December 04, 2021 (PPI-OT):Secretary General Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) Khurram Nawaz Gandapur has termed Sialkot incident an extremely heinous, condemnable act that badly damaged peaceful teachings of Islam and Pakistan’s democratic image among the comity of nations. This inhuman incident is the result of the prevailing extremism in the society, he said. He regretted that no serious attempt has been made to curb the menace.

PAT Secretary General recalled that in an earlier incident around a couple was burnt alive in Sambrial area of Sialkot, while in Lahore’s Joseph Colony, the houses of a community were set ablaze. He said that it turned out after the investigations that the perpetrators had their vested interest.

Khurram Nawaz Gandapur lamented that it is the second incident of immolation that has sent waves of deep anxiety and concern across the country. He pointed out that in each incident police failed to act in time and the perpetrators managed to escape punitive action under the law, adding that an international campaign was then launched to label Pakistan as an extremist country.

Khurram Nawaz Gandapur said that penalizing an accused after due legal process is the sole prerogative of a court of law and none has the authority to take the law in their hands and indulge in extrajudicial act of penalizing others. Khurram Nawaz Gandapur said the state will have to play its decisive role in the Sialkot incident by giving an exemplary punishment to the perpetrators so that no one else may dare challenge the writ of the state.

PAT Secretary General urged the educated class in the country that in view of the sensitivity of the issue they should come forward and play their role in curbing the fanaticism, which has no room in Islam as well as Constitution of Pakistan. He stressed that no leniency should be shown to fanatic behaviours. Lauding the Sri Lankan government and people for standing with Pakistan during all testing times, he recalled that Sri Lanka defeated the nefarious designs of terrorists when it extended its unwavering support to Pakistan when terrorists targeted its cricket team in Lahore more than a decade ago.

Khurram Nawaz Gandapur said the heinous Sialkot incident must have agonized Sri Lankan people and Islamabad should feel their pain and do whatever it can to relieve them of the stress and agony by taking the perpetrators to account. He suggested that the government should act like that of New Zealand when the NZ people and prime minister came forward to comfort the Muslims in the wake of Christchurch incident.

PAT Secretary General said Prime Minister Imran Khan should immediately convene a meeting of the cabinet and tender an apology to the government and people of Sri Lanka, assuring them of certainty of punishment to the perpetrators of the Sialkot tragedy. He said that all saner souls in the country are sad at the Sialkot incident and are waiting for a stern action against the accused as well as making public the facts behind the heinous act.

For more information, contact:
Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT)
365-M, Model Town,
Lahore, Pakistan
Tel: +92-42-111-140-140
Email: info@pat.com.pk
Website: www.pat.com.pk

Lahore, November 30, 2021 (PPI-OT):PAT Secretary General Khurram Nawaz Gandapur called on Mian Manzoor Ahmad Wattoo, former Chief Minister Punjab. Both the leaders exchanged views on the prevailing political situation in the country, particularly the upcoming local bodies elections. Speaking on the occasion, Mian Manzoor Ahmad Wattoo said that the idea of democracy is not complete without the local government institutions in place. He said that the establishment of powerful local institutions administratively and financially is the constitutional requirement. He said that it is unfortunate that local governments have always been given step-motherly treatment.

Khurram Nawaz Gandapur said that it is a paradox that the elections for the local government institutions are always held whenever there is a military led government and the same are relegated to the backburner when so-called democrats rule the country. He said that a strong and effective local government system will strengthen democracy in the country.

PAT Secretary General said that the prices of the petroleum products have decreased by 15% in the international market. He said that the benefit of this decrease should immediately be transferred to the masses who are bearing a heavy brunt of inflation and price hike. He said that welfare of the common should be on the top of the government’s agenda.

For more information, contact:
Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT)
365-M, Model Town,
Lahore, Pakistan
Tel: +92-42-111-140-140
Email: info@pat.com.pk
Website: www.pat.com.pk