RAWALPINDI, March 17: Conceding the failure of his efforts to influence the people in power to enforce electoral reforms, Dr Tahirul Qadri announced here on Sunday that his Pakistan Awami Tehrik would not take part in the coming elections.

The Supreme Court had rejected his plea for reconstitution of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) after his dialogue with the government following a three-day sit-in in front of Parliament House did not bear fruit.

Dr Qadri addressed a public meeting in Liaquat Bagh to announce his plan about election after returning from Canada where he had gone for a medical check-up.

People from different areas, a large number of women and children among them, had come to the meeting.

“We have come from Gujrat because our leader may announce another long march or any other plan of action for the elections,” Zubaida Bibi said.

Fareeda Jamil from Lahore said she had come along with her family and she thought Dr Qadri would announce action to stop the electoral process.

However, Dr Qadri announced that his party would not take part in the elections and hold protest sit-ins in all major cities on the polling day.

“We will not participate in the coming elections because the current political and electoral system is based on corruption. We will stage peaceful ‘change the system’ sit-ins on the polling day to register our protest against the monopolistic political system which has deprived people of their rights during the past 65 years. We will tell the world that electoral reforms have not been introduced in Pakistan,” he said in his speech.

“I have been demanding electoral reforms for three months but all my demands have fallen on deaf ears,” he said. He alleged that members of the ECP had not been appointed in a transparent manner.

He said the amended nomination forms “have been prepared to pave the way for those who have been looting the country and denying people their rights”.

He said the ECP had kept quiet despite “a lot of corruption” committed in recent days and legislations were made to help politicians.He said all the parties in the parliament had joined hands to increase their salaries with retrospective affect.

Dr Qadri said the judiciary and army were highly respectable institutions, but “if someone’s personal attitude is against the law and constitution people reserve the right to hold him accountable”.

“People of Pakistan are now aware of their rights and no power can stop their struggle for change.”

He said the federal government had provided Rs1-1.5 billion to all members of Balochistan Assembly for development which, he alleged, was a bribe.

Dr Qadri criticised the Punjab chief minister for keeping 18 ministries to himself and said the people did not know even the names of provincial ministers.