Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri, the leader of Pakistan Awami Tehreek, has said that it is the strange election of the world’s history in which both the winners as well as losers are staging sit-ins. He said that neither any political party nor the people congratulated the Election Commission. The Commission, he maintained, was felicitating itself for the ‘job well done’. How could an illegally and unconstitutionally composed Election Commission preside over fair, free and transparent elections? Whatever it oversaw was by design and part of larger script. The Election 2013 was an election of the horses not human beings, Dr Qadri maintained.

The PAT leader expressed these views while addressing a press conference in Model Town Lahore the other day. Dr Hassan Mohi-ud-Din Qadri, Dr Hussain Mohi-ud-Din Qadri, Dr Raheeq Ahmad Abbasi, Khurram Nawaz Gundapur, Fayyaz Warriach, Qazi Faiz-ul-Islam and other leaders were present on the occasion.

Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri said that resignations were pouring in and the nation would have to resign from the corrupt electoral system soon. He said that the present electoral system was characterized by duress, rigging and demonstration of naked physical power, further adding that even those who wished to bring about change sincerely were destined to fail under the system. He said that all political parties had joined the bandwagon of power and there would be no real opposition leaving the space open for the government not only to have its cake but eat it too.

Dr Tahir-ul-Qadri said that the international powers wanted to take advantage of changed political situation in Pakistan following the elections 2013. He said that the US and NATO withdrawal from Afghanistan would conclude by 2014 and war machine worth billions of dollars would be taken back by using Pakistani land routes. In such circumstances, the establishment of a Taliban-friendly government was need of the hour to facilitate the entire withdrawal process. The same government, he said, was in power now. He further said that it was not merely NATO but General (r ) Pervez Musharraf would also get a safe passage. He said that the Election Commission would apply the healing dressing on some of the wounds but the problem would largely remain entrenched. He said that neither any change could come about nor democracy strengthened in the presence of the current electoral system.

Dr Qadri said that the youth were bearing the brunt of corrupt and pro-elite electoral system. He said that he held the future of young sons and daughters of the nation close to his heart and was concerned about their wellbeing. He asked the youth to join the fold of Pakistan Awami Tehreek for real change in the country.

Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri said that retired judicial officers could not be reappointed under the National Judicial Policy 2009, adding that Judicial Tribunals were constituted in violation of the spirit of the Judicial Policy.

He said that when he raised the issues regarding implementation of Articles 62, 63, 213, 218, and fixation of 30-day scrutiny period, no one paid heed to his national agenda. Contrarily, he was accused of conspiring to derail democracy. He said that those who raised baseless allegations against him had been derailed themselves. He said that PAT would get back power from the ruling elite and hand it over to the people with the public support. He said that political parties were also captives of the electoral system, adding that if the system changed, political parties would also be free from its evil clutches.