by Naeem Ullah Tariq

LAHORE: Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) has held sit-in demonstrations across the country on the polling day (Saturday) in a bid to protest against incumbent electoral system. Peaceful sit-in demonstrations were organized in over 300 cities.

The sit-in demonstrations were declared by PAT after Supreme Court discarded Dr. Tahiul Qadri’s petition seeking reconstitution of election commission of Pakistan in February.

Major sit-in demonstration held in Lahore on The Mall Road in front of the Punjab Assembly which was attended by 50,000 men, women and children. National anthems were played at protest.

The people were carrying placards to protest the electoral system.

The youth were wearing stickers on their bodies and arms with anti-system slogans written on them. Participants chanted slogans against the electoral system and held it responsible for their problems.

Meanwhile PAT chief Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri delivered his keynote address to the participants of the sit-ins through a video link from his Model Town residence in Lahore.

His address was broadcast live in over 300 cities as well as 150 countries of the world in which the Pakistani expatriate community staged sit-ins.

Dr Tahir-ul-Qadri claimed that it was for the first time in the country’s history that a strong and powerful voice was raised against the current electoral system in the form of these sit-ins organized by PAT. He stated that the successful sit-ins organized by PAT have laid the foundation-stone for durable change in the country.

“Current system would not allow any single party to gain majority and the nation would remember those who were raising the slogan of change would join the forces of status quo and corruption”, he underscored.

“There would be marginal change of 5% to 10% faces and families under the system”, he predicted. Dr Tahir-ul-Qadri said that whatever he had said since December 23 had proven true but added that he was accused of conspiring against democracy.

He said that PAT workers deserved to be felicitated who proved to be mountain of courage and perseverance during the testing times.

Dr Qadri said that PAT chronicled a new chapter in history by choosing not to compromise on its stance against the corrupt system. He said that he wanted to see Pakistan develop into a country which should depend on its own strength and have the courage of saying NO to dictates of foreign powers.

He said that Pakistan would not be able to achieve this status unless it got credible, competent and courageous leadership. He said that courageous leadership would emerge from the demolished system.Appropriate security was provided to protestors by the caretaker Punjab government in Lahore.