Tahirul Qadri’s party may contest election

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Tahir-ul Qadri flashes victory signs during a protest rally in Islamabad on January 17, 2013.—AFP Photo

ISLAMABAD: The chief of the Tehrik-i-Minhajul Quran (TMQ), Dr Tahirul Qadri, will keep pushing for political reforms and a halt to corruption, his spokesman said Friday.

Qadri had led thousands of protestors in a four-day sit-in demonstration near the Parliament in Islamabad, agreeing to end it on Thursday only after signing an agreement with the coalition government to implement electoral reforms before the upcoming election.

“After signing the agreement for electoral reforms, we are part of the electoral process. We might take part in elections,” said Qazir Faizul Islam, secretary of information for Qadri’s charity, adding however that Qadri did not have ambitions to become prime minister.

Aside from giving Qadri a voice in who leads the caretaker administration, the government agreed to dissolve parliament before a scheduled date of March 16, although it did not specify a date in the agreement signed on Thursday.

It also said elections would be held within 90 days of the dissolution and electoral reforms would continue to be discussed.

“We will ensure implementation of the agreement with full letter and spirit,” said Islam.

“If the government tries to deviate, we will force them to follow through the power of the people and media.”

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