Imran, Qadri's closeness signals conspiracy against state: Maryam

KARACHI: Pakistan Muslim League - Nawaz (PML-N) leader Maryam Nawaz on Wednesday said that Pakistan Awami Tehreek's (PAT) Chairman Tahir-ul-Qadri and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chief Imran Khan's closeness indicates that a conspiracy is being hatched against the state.

"Qadri and Imran's closeness indicates that a conspiracy is being hatched against the state, democracy, and government," Maryam tweeted.

"Conspirators don't have an agenda for the nation," she wrote. "Bringing these people together is just another scheme to create They are just brought together, through a conspiracy, to create unrest but the people understand these tactics."

The daughter of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif continued to lash out on Imran in a series of tweets, stating that the PTI chief's biggest defeat was his identity as a conspirator and pawn and not a political and democratic leader. 

Imran on Tuesday had reiterated his support for Qadri and his party in pursuing justice in the Model Town case.

The Punjab government, at the behest of Lahore High Court, made the report for the Model Town incident public on December 5. The report was drafted by Justice Baqir Najfi and called the 2014 tragedy in Lahore's Model Town the "most unfortunate incident" in the country's history.

"I came here today with my team to reassure PAT and Qadri that our party and the people of Pakistan are with them," the PTI chief had said while addressing a joint news conference alongside the PAT chief. “Whatever decision PAT takes, PTI will stand alongside it.”

Imran had added that the tragedy of Model Town is not only PAT's issue, but it is an issue for the people of Pakistan and criticised Nawaz, saying the latter was brought to the forefront by a dictator but is worse as “they are a mafia”.

“They tried their best to hide what they did in Model Town.”

Imran had also alleged that the Punjab police works on the orders of the Sharif family and are on their “beck and call”.

The PTI chief, referring to the movement announced by the former prime minister, said he is waiting for the campaign to start and added that “Nawaz can never start a movement”.

Speaking at the news conference while sitting beside Imran, Qadri welcomed the support and said the PTI chief has stood by him and has fought the case as his own.

“Imran has jointly struggled with us and has stood by us throughout,” Qadri had said. “The connection between PTI and PAT is very strong and our 2014 sit-in was a proof of that."

Referring to the upcoming All Parties Conference called by PAT, Qadri said the future course of action will be announced after the conference.

Elaborating on the Model Town tragedy, Qadri had claimed the former prime minister, Nawaz, also played a part in the episode.

“I am sure that the bloodshed could not have happened without Nawaz Sharif's agreement, orders from [Punjab CM} Shehbaz Sharif and execution by [Punjab Law Minister] Rana Sanauulah.”

The PAT chief had further claimed that the Punjab chief minister never gave the order to pull back the police forces.

The Model Town incident had claimed lives of at least 14 people and left over 100 others injured during an 'anti-encroachment operation' by Punjab police outside Idara Minhajul Quran in Lahore.