LONDON: Leaders of the Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) and Pakistan Muslim League (PML-Q) have agreed that throwing away the current democratic set-up has become mandatory for Pakistanis.

Addressing a joint press conference after meeting for about two hours, Dr Tahirul Qadri, Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and Parvez Elahi agreed that the current government had come into being as a result of an “illegal, immoral and unconstitutional” election, which shall not be accepted.

They said that the meeting on Friday was the first session while talks will continue overnight and a final declaration about the formation of an alliance will be issued on Saturday.

There were widespread speculations that Imran Khan will join the two parties during their London talks, but he stayed away from the meeting and none from his party gave support to the London moot.

Briefing media men, Dr Qadri said: “We have agreed that the current government and the current system is against the wishes of 18 crore people of Pakistan; this system has failed to deliver at all levels.

“The government that was formed after the 11th May elections is illegal and unconstitutional. The agenda of the rulers is against the people of Pakistan, especially the poor classes. They have failed to defend Pakistan. They are busy in creating a business empire for themselves at the global level. Their agenda is anti-Pakistan. We want to end this illegal set-up to replace it with a truly democratic system. We want transfer of resources to the poor people of Pakistan, which is guaranteed by the Constitution of Pakistan. We want the Pakistani people to be part of that system as the current set-up has only a family running the whole system.”

Pervaiz Elahi thanked Dr Qadri for agreeing with his party’s stance that the 11th May elections were rigged massively. He said that his party was in contact with Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf and the Muttahida Qaumi Movement for the formation of a grand alliance. “We have formed committees in alliance with the PTI and other parties. We have always been in touch with the MQM.

“We have agreed that the current system needs to be finished because this government has broken the laws of Pakistan. The history of the current rulers is known to all, especially when they had attacked the judiciary. Now, they have attacked Pakistan’s defence forces. The defence minister of the country has attacked Pakistan’s armed forces and the prime minister took no action.”

The former Punjab chief minister said that Nawaz Sharif-led government deliberately starts tussles with the army. “We understand that the basics of the current government are wrong. The biggest proof is that Fakhruddin G Ibrahim resigned and accepted that the current system had failed.

“We are inviting pro-Pakistan forces on one platform to unite against the system of corruption. We must get rid of this government.”

Chaudhary Shujaat Hussain assured Dr Qadri that when he comes to Pakistan, he will be given a warm welcome by the masses. He said that his party and the PTI had agreed on the need for electoral reforms. “There are lots of common grounds between us and we agree on almost all the points.”

Dr Qadri said that the two sides were talking to each other to form a united agenda against corruption, but it was immature to deliberate upon the exact contours of this agenda at this early stage.Dr Qadri appealed to “all those forces which want the rule of law to come together to save Pakistan.”

When asked if the Chauhdry brothers were pursuing a specific agenda to derail the system, Pervaz Elahi said that there was no conspiracy behind their meetings. “The only aim is to work together for the betterment of Pakistan. It’s a call to unite for reforms to make Pakistan a better country. Our doors are open for all to come together and end corruption and lawlessness.”

Source: http://www.thenews.com.pk/