We have unwavering faith in democracy but will not take part in any election exercise. Taking part in elections under the present system will be tantamount to stabbing people in the back. It is a matter of misfortune that we are no more a nation and have rather become a crowd. The arrival of Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri will be instrumental in stabilizing the country and prosperity and the 23rd of December will be remembered as an important day of the country’s history as the real representative of the people will put forward of an agenda of new Pakistan on that day.

These views were expressed by Faiz-ur-Rehman Durrani, President of Pakistan Awami Tehreek, while addressing a seminar on the subject of “Let us save country, not politics’ held in Model Town Lahore today. Dr Raheeq Abbasi, Sheikh Zahid Fayyaz, GM Malik, Anwar Akhtar Advocate, MH Shaheen and other leaders were also present on the occasion.

PAT President said that the masses would extend a resounding welcome to Dr Tahir-ul-Qadri and pledge to support him in the fulfillment of his agenda. He said that the current electoral system was anti-democracy as it tended to protect the interests of a powerful minority at the cost of the masses. He said that PAT would extend an invitation to all parties to join them at Minar-e-Pakistan.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr Raheeq Abbasi said that the day we marshaled ourselves into a nation would signal the realization of the Quaid-e-Azam’s dream. He made it clear that PAT and MQI were not against the system of elections and regarded these as a means of peaceful transfer of power. But he added in the same context that what passed for electoral exercise in the country was more about having winning horses, huge sums of money, access to patronage and rent seeking etc. He said that such elections would fail to bring about any change in the fortunes of the masses.

Sheikh Zahid Fayyaz said that it was time we worked hard for saving the country. He sought reforms in the electoral system to strengthen the state.