Marchers could have overthrown democracy: Qadri

"Democracy would have been banished from the country, had I directed the sit-in participants to capture parliament," Daily Times quoted Qadri as saying during a press conference in Lahore Saturday.

The Tehrik-e-Minhajul Quran chief said that the peaceful march attended by "millions of people" had established a great example in the entire world.

Qadri said that arrangements had been finalised to launch an operation against the protesters Jan 16 but police deployed for the security of the march decided to defy any crackdown order on the marchers.

Qadri had been protesting in the capital since Tuesday after having begun his 'long march' from Lahore Sunday.

Having shaken the Pakistan government with his three-day siege of the capital, demanding dissolution of parliament, Qadri left for Lahore Friday after signing an agreement with the government on the timing of the general elections.

On reaching Lahore, he said if the agreement signed with the government was not implemented, the marchers deserved the right to take extreme measures.