With all mainstream parties fielding their candidates for Pakistan's general election next month, Canada-based cleric Tahirul Qadri has announced that his party will boycott the polls to protest against allegedly criminal and corrupt people being allowed to contest elections.
Qadri who is chairman of the Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) said all his candidates across the country have been directed to withdraw their nomination papers for the July 25 polls to protest against the electoral system.
"Articles 62 and 63 of the Constitution have completely been ignored during scrutiny of candidates by the Election Commission of Pakistan. A large number of candidates with serious allegations of money-laundering, mass killings, corruption and human smuggling against them have been cleared to contest the polls. Such robbers will be part of the next parliament of Pakistan. Therefore we boycott the elections and continue to strive against this corrupt system," Qadri said.
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