Shaykh-ul-Islam Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri has said that the conduct of elections
to be held either now or later, under the incumbent electoral system, will be a
joke with the nation. He said that it was the outcome of the present flawed system
that the institutions had been pitted against one another. The establishment of
a national government composed of honest and capable people with character for at
least three years was the only way out of the complex problems the country was caught
up in, he added.
Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri expressed these views while addressing the meeting
of Majlis-e-Shura of Minhaj-ul-Quran International through video conference from
Canada, which was held in the central secretariat in Lahore today. The meeting was
attended by over 1500 office holders of MQI from across Pakistan. The participants
rejected the electoral system through a joint resolution and demanded of the establishment
of a national government.
Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri proposed that the Supreme Court should hold a referendum
under its watch for the establishment of a national government. He said that those
who believed that the elections offered the cure to the national ailments were gravely
mistaken and befooling the people of Pakistan.
Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri said that arrogating the right to rule to a few selected
families would be tantamount to continuing with the worst reign of oppression of
the people and doing so was criminal. He said that the present electoral system
gave nothing except corruption, dearness, energy crisis, unemployment, clash among
institutions, and the criminal neglect of health and education sectors. The post-election
political arrangement would further compound the disappointment of the nation, he
stated.
Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri said that it was the political system and not any
particular political party or political leader that was the real enemy of the people.
He said that MQI wanted reforms and not elections. He said that the establishment
of a national government was inevitable to strengthen democracy and economy, improve
governance, eliminate dearness, terrorism, and end the energy shortages in the country.
He said that the Supreme Court has a constitutional role cut out for itself in these
circumstances.
Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri said that we were staunch supporters of democracy
but the elections under the present system would be a joke with democracy. He asked
the people to send the present electoral system home.
Addressing the Majlis-e-Shura, Dr Raheeq Ahmad Abbasi presented a resolution
against skyrocketing dearness, the worst energy crisis, hike in prices of gas and
power, terrorism and militancy and for a change in the present political system.
The house unanimously adopted the resolution. The participants also condoled the
death of Arfa Kareem, the youngest IT professional and prayed to Allah Almighty
to rest the departed soul in peace.
