Pervaiz Accuses Qadri of Stoking Sectarianism

Information Minister Pervaiz Rashid alleges that Dr Tahirul Qadri is playing into the hands of foreign powers to dismantle the federal system that is keeping the country united. He believes that Imran Khan is fighting for his political survival after the defeat of his political philosophy in just one year.

The minister said in an interview to The Nation, Nawa-i-Waqt and Waqt News here on Thursday that former prime minister Yousaf Raza Gilani was trying to save Gen (r) Musharraf by invoking a so-called agreement to which “the PML-N was not a party”.

Levelling a serious allegation on PAT chief, Mr Pervaiz Rashid said another item on the agenda of Dr Qadri is to start sectarian clashes in the country with the backing of some foreign elements who want to divide the Islamic Ummah.

The minister said the real threat to the country is from terrorists. And now that the government has started an operation against them, the foreign powers have launched Qadri as their pawn to oppose the move.

Had a revolution been the real target of Dr Qadri, the minister said, he would not have gone back to Canada after protests in Islamabad last year as poverty and other problems he is talking of at present remain the same. “He is switched on and off through a remote control (by his masters)”.

Qadri is a non-serious person but at times he touches red lines, and then it becomes imperative for the government to keep a check on him, the minister said.

He said: Sectarianism is a menace which has afflicted the Islamic world. Dr Qadri wants to promote in Pakistan what most of religious parties are strongly opposed to. It’s the duty of the intelligence agencies to provide the government information about the network of Dr Qadri’s organisations abroad and their sources of funding. The record available with the Election Commission of Pakistan doesn’t show that Dr Qadri has the resources to book special planes and carryout other activities he is involved in.

When asked what the basis of his allegations against Dr Qadri was when he was asking the intelligence agencies to provide information against him, the minister said he already had a lot of information but wanted to gather more. “If Dr Qadri takes me to court, I will be able to prove my allegations against him”.

He said: The PAT chief was leading a comfortable life in Canada when Pakistan was being ruled by a dictator. But now that a democratic government is in power and the country is gaining stability, he has come to...