Deeply revered as a modern-day interpreter of Islam, he was hired for sermons at a mosque built and owned by Mian Mohammad Sharif. Situated opposite to Sharifs bungalows in Model Towns H-block, the mosque was thronged by people to listen to Maulana Tahirul Qadri on various issues of the Muslim society and Islam. He carried an aura of a modernist Muslim unlike his peers especially Dr Israr Ahmed, the theologian. The Sharifs deeply adored and respected Allama Tahirul Qadri.
It is said that former hockey hero and a Muslim Leaguer, Akhtar Rasool, piggybacked him for Haj because of Maulanas backache problem. However, during Gen Ziaul Haqs era when Nawaz Sharif was ushered in as chief minister of Punjab, the latter allocated a huge piece of land at a throwaway price and donations for building Minhajul Quran headquarters in Lahore. Soon after, Dr Tahirul Qadri said goodbye to the Ittefaq Mosque, as family was known till then before the seven-member family had the division of assets.
It is alleged that the Sharifs wanted to exploit his appeal to the religious voter for their politics as the reason for his separation but Allama Tahirul Qadri, as he was known then, had his political ambitions, too. As he had benefited greatly from the patronage by the Sharif family, Qadri became controversial and lost much of his public appeal. But despite that, Allama Qadri tested the political waters in 1989 when he launched his political party, Pakistan Awami Tehrik (PAT).
Announcing his party at a local five-star hotel which this scribe had attended, Dr Qadri couldnt plead his political credentials and gave no roadmap. He was asked if he had fought and won any election as a candidate for national, provincial or local election, he was obviously blank as he had had no experience in the rickety and tumultuous political arena. His political party couldnt have more than tonga riders as it is known in the political jargon. After making some ripples in the All Parties Conferences (APCs) orchestrated by late veteran leader Nawabzada Nasrullah Khan, Qadri went into political wilderness.