Dr Tahirul Qadri has announced that the Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) will not contest the upcoming general elections. Addressing a rally here at Liaquat Bagh on Sunday, Qadri said the PAT would hold sit-ins at polling stations across the country on the election day. Qadri said electoral reforms promised to him were not fulfilled and he was not willing to become part of the current corrupt political system. He said members of parliament should not be given development funds. He said the formation of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) was not under Article 213 of the constitution, adding that the commission should be impartial and formed again, adding that he was ready to withdraw his claim that the ECP was unconstitutional if members of the commission took an oath that their posting was in line with the constitution. The PAT chief called for the election of the prime minister through popular vote instead of the National Assembly.
