Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Vice Chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi clarified that purpose of sit-in outside the Parliament is to save the House.
“We are not here to burn the House but to save it,” he told the parliament.
“I know there are few elements who want to put fuel on fire and there is a group as well that wants to resolve all the issues,” he added.
He said the parliament is very dear to him and he considers this building as his political holy site.
“I told PAT protestors that parliament is my political (ka’aba),” he said adding that, “It is our duty to protect the parliament but the question is, what kind of parliament.”
Speaking at a joint session of the parliament, Qureshi said that an impression has been created in recent days that PTI was involved or part in any grand plan.
“On the floor of the house, I say here that PTI never was and will never be part of any such plan that will undermine the democracy and constitution of Pakistan,” he asserted..
Qureshi said that they were not inviting any third party to resolve the current political crisis.
“History will tell who invited third party mediate or facilitate,” he said, referring to government’s request to the COAS Gen Raheel Sharif to play his role in resolving the crisis.
Qureshi said PTI has only demanded transparent invesitgation of rigging in last year’s general election.
Qureshi criticized government’s handling of the crisis, adding that Islamabad was turned into Gaza as scores of people were killed and injured.
He urged the parliamentarians to understand the frustration and haplessness of the protestors following the Lahore massacre in which over a dozen PAT workers were brutally martyred by Punjab police.