Pakistan Awami Tehreek chief Dr. Tahir ul Qadri is all set to address his followers at Lahore Jalsa today. Before setting off for Lahore, he claimed that Awami Tehreek’s rally at Minar-e-Pakistan will break all previous records. “It will be a referendum against Nawaz government”, he said.

Around 70,000 chairs have been placed in the ground of Minar-e-Pakistan. Awami Tehreek officials claim that they expect about half a million people to be present in their Lahore Jalsa today. “Dr. Qadri’s message of revolution has awakened the people of Pakistan and people will reach Minar-e-Pakistan today to echo that message in one voice”, said a PAT official.

On the other hand, PMLQ leader Chaudhry Pervez Ilahi said that his party would fully participate in Lahore Jalsa at Minar-e-Pakistan. “Dr. Qadri’s message is the message of every citizen of Pakistan”, said Pervez Ilahi.

Call Off sit-in at D-Chowk

According to some reports, Dr. Qadri was going to call off his two-month-long sit-in at D-Chowk Islamabad. He was expected to announce his decision at the end of Lahore Jalsa today. However, this did not happen.

“Dr. Qadri has decided to announce calling off Islamabad Dharna in his speech at Lahore Jalsa today; he would continue holding public rallies in different cities of Pakistan though”,  a source privy to this important development told VoJ.

Rumors of back door negotiations between PAT and Nawaz government had been floating around from some days. According to those rumors, government had agreed to send chief minister Punjab Shehbaz Sharif on a one month leave to Dubai.  During this time, a free and fair judicial inquiry was to take place on Model Town incident.

PMLQ leader Pervez Ilahi had expressed serious reservations on Dr. Qadris possible decision of accepting this deal and ending Islamabad sit-in. He did not show up in Lahore Jalsa of Awami Tehreek which gave credence to the report.

However, Dr. Qadri, publicly announced that he would never strike a deal with the government. “I will never sell the blood of martyrs”, said Dr. Qadri, apparently a message directed towards Chaudhry brothers.

Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain had then to announce during PAT Lahore jalsa that his party would continue to stand by Qadri. Also, Dr. Qadri also did not announce calling off his Islamabad sit-in.