Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) chief Dr Tahirul Qadri led Saturday announced that his party won’t take part in the upcoming 2018 general election, scheduled for July 25. “The current political system protects the corrupt and suppresses the poor and we cannot stand in its support, said Qadri while announcing his party’s decision to desist from taking part in the elections at a press conference. When asked if the PAT was boycotting elections, the PAT chief said: “I didn’t use the word boycott.” He said his party couldn’t be part of the system involved in committing crimes in the name of democracy. He said all PAT members would soon take back their nomination forms. Published in Daily Times, June 24th 2018.