(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) The deal struck by the government and Tehreek Minhajul Quran chief Dr Tahir Qadri has triggered a controversy with many sceptics describing it as a farce.
"It is too good to believe there has been no dubious dealing behind the scene," senior TV anchor Nusrat Javed observed, saying the whole show was scripted long before it was actually enacted on Islamabad's Jinnah Avenue. An impression was created that the government had conceded almost all of Qadri's demands.
PTI's senior leader Ishaq Khakwani, PML-N's Tariq Azim, former chairman of National Reconstruction Danyal Aziz concurred that President Asif Ali Zardari had launched the firebrand cleric while targeting Nawaz Sharif.
Another TV anchor Mushtaq Minhas claimed that the draft of the agreement announced on Friday evening was ready when PML-Q chief Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain met Qadri in the Model Town headquarters of the TMQ before the start of the match.
"The draft agreement was already in place when the so-called talks were held after Qadri gave 90-minute deadline to President Zardari to negotiate or face unspecified 'action'," Minhas said.
Group Editor of The News, Shaheen Sehbai, however, offered a different interpretation, claiming the army intervened after Qadri's threat of 'action' implying he would unleash his mob to occupy the Parliament House, the Presidency and the PM House.
Ishaq Khakwani said PTI chairman Imran Khan resisted intense pressure to join Qadri's march because he was convinced that the entire show was orchestrated and funded by President Zardari.
Aaj TV reporter Tariq Chaudhry disclosed that Qadri and his family had made reservations to fly to Toronto via Dubai on January 27 night just when he was telling tens of thousands of mesmarised audience on Jinnah Avenue to stay put till acceptance of the demand even if it takes them a month. Tariq said he has copies of the ticket.
Express TV reported that the Canadian authorities have called Qadri to appear before them on February 5 to respond to the charge that he violated its immigration and asylum laws. Qadri reportedly had sought asylum in Canada in 2008 on plea that he faced life threat from the banned organisation Lashkar-e-Jhangvi.
Under Canadian laws anybody allowing asylum cannot travel to the country where he is threatened.
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