PAT chief presents 14-point plan to eliminate terrorism

Lahore: The Chairman of Pakistan Awami TehreeK Dr. Tahir ul qadri has said that terrorists and their supporters are the number one problem Pakistan faces today and we have to eliminate the terrorists and their financiers and supports once and for all to bring peace back in the country.

Addressing a press conference from a Houston hospital via video link at the PAT secretariat in Model Town Lahore he proposed a 14-point plan for the elimination of terrorism. 1: War on Terror has to be announced against terrorism. 2: The parliament will have to own this war and a joint resolution must be passed by the parliament against terrorism. 3: New law has to be framed in which those who support terrorists, who have links with terrorists and those who help terrorists should be considered as equal in the crime and life imprisonment should be awarded to them. 4: To finalize the terrorism cases special military courts should be set up who should hold the hearing and give a decision within one week and one week should be for appeals. 5: Reforms should be bought in the Madrassas system and a unified syllabus should be approved for the madrassas all over the country and no one should be allowed to read and write anything outside the syllabus and that should be protected by law and a board consisting of highly respected Ulema who should oversee the working of the madrassas. 6: A ban should be imposed on the foreign funding of madrassas, parties, organizations and individuals. 7: Peace Education Centers should be set up which should education and create awareness among the public on measures to eliminate religious extremism and how to stay away from extremists who use the simple public for their own nefarious and evil designs. This way the people will not get black mailed by extremists and terrorists. 8: Ban should be strictly imposed on literature that relates to communal hate, extremist views and that gives rise to terrorism and all such literature should be set ablaze without any delay. 9: All the departments that are working for the elimination of terrorism including courts, semi-government forces and secret agencies should be under the direct control of the army. 10: The budget of the army should be increased so that it can fight this ‘war on terror’ with full force and be more effective. 11: All those who have suffered by terrorism should be duly compensated and for that the federal government must take responsibility for compensation and rehabilitation of the effected. 12: All the gurantees the constitution provides for education, health, employment, justice of the people should be implemented immediately as the deprivation of these lead to the birth of terrorism. 13: A simple ban on an organization is not enough and the offices of banned institution should be sealed and all property of such banned institutions should be confiscated and exemplary punishment should be awarded to the members of banned organizations which would serve as a symbol for others that they never dare kill any person. 14: The curriculum in schools and colleges should include such literature that serves as a peace symbol and teaches the students to beware of terrorism and extremism.

Addressing the press conference Dr Tahirt ul Qadri stated that in 55 Anti-Terrorism Courts 2025 cases are pending for the last 5 years and the decisions were supposed to be announced in 7 days under law. He said Pakistan is the only country where so many cases are pending in courts. Better late than never, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Pakistan has finally called a meeting of the judges of the high courts to resolve this issue with special reference to cases relating to terrorism.

The PAT chief said that it is only the Chief of the Army Staff who appears to be sincerely running around and taking concrete decisions after the Peshawar school incident and the political leadership seems to be running in the dark and has no clue what to do. The nation expected a lot from the political leadership but the people of the country wait to see what they do and what steps they take in this regard. The whole nation has been moved by the barbaric acts of terrorists in Peshawar and the joint session of the parliament has not been called to debate and recommend measures to check the rise of terrorism in the country, he said and added that the longest session was called to debate the sit-ins. Why not now? He questioned. Such a session should have been called the very night this incident took place and strong recommendations should have been released by the parliament that very night. He said if such actions are not taken incidents like Peshawar and Model Town will be repeated and terrorists will take advantage of our weakness.

Dr. Thair ul qadri said that it is a harsh reality that over 55,000 Pakistanis have been killed over the past few years but the judiciary, parliament and administration failed to take concrete steps to prevent further loss of life. He said very person in Pakistan has been affected by the bomb blasts triggered by these terrorists be them political parties, armed forces, government and semi government organizations. He said now we have to realize that this is our war and forget talking that this is somebody else’s war. He said each and every Pakistani must stand by the side of the armed forces of the country and that is how we will be able to win this war and bring peace back to our country. He said if the government tries to sabotage this ongoing movement against terrorism than it should keep in mind that the nation stands united and the government will be taken to task and not be spared by the people of the country and will be treated such liked terrorists are treated.

He said this is the time to act and we have no time left as we are already very late as terrorists do not believe in law, constitution or humanity and spill blood whenever they feel like. This cannot go on now and we have to eliminate terrorism from the root. He requested the lawyers and human rights and civil society to come forward and work for the betterment of the country and help bring peace back to Pakistan. He said help the law enforcing agencies and do not become a stumbling stone in bringing to justice terrorists.

Dr Tahirul Qadri said that PAT has always been in the front when it comes to giving sacrifices and shall not hesitate in the future. He said we are clear in our resolve and that we are against terrorism and all forms of it. He said PAT is taking out rallies from over 60 cities of the country against terrorism and millions of people will attend these rallies and that will be a message for the terrorists and the world that we are not afraid of them and are not afraid of giving sacrifices and our morals are strong and high.