LAHORE, Dec 10: The pro-boycott parties in the All Parties Democratic Movement (APDM) are sticking to their stand of not contesting the polls till all measures taken on Nov 3 by President Pervez Musharraf are withdrawn.

A meeting of the alliance now comprising 25 parties instead of the original 36, held here on Monday, named Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party’s Mahmood Khan Achakzai as its convener in place of PML (N)’s Raja Zafarul Haq.

The meeting was held at the residence of Tehrik-i-Insaaf chairman Imran Khan.

The parties taking part in the polls had been ‘de-listed’ from the alliance, Mr Achakzai said while briefing mediapersons after the meeting.

The ‘de-listing formula’, he said, had been suggested by Raja Zafar himself on Nov 24.

The parties included the PML (N), ANP, JUI (F), the Markazi Jamiat Ahle Hadith and the JUP (Fazle Karim faction).

Mr Achakzai said candidates of the alliance would withdraw their nomination papers by Dec 15 because taking part in the elections would amount to legitimising the government’s ‘unconstitutional’ acts.

The candidates would simultaneously withdraw their nomination papers, making it a national event, said Jamaat-i-Islami chief Qazi Hussain Ahmad. He was accompanied by Imran Khan, Abid Hasan Minto, Gen Hameed Gul and Manzoor Gilani.

According to the alliance leaders, the APDM will hold a national consultation conference in Islamabad on Dec 18 to build up momentum for a resistance movement against the electoral process. Civil society organisations, lawyers, students and representatives of other segments of the society would be invited to attend the conference.

They said that other measures would also be taken to subvert the polls, adding that they would not to extend overt or covert support to any party or candidate taking part in the elections.

The APDM leaders formed a committee to work out ‘other measures’.

Qazi Hussain said people taking part in the polls would become part of an American scheme for the continuation of the dictatorial system in the country.

Criticising the US and European countries for keeping silent on detention of members of the superior judiciary, Mr Achakzai warned the West that it was antagonising Pakistani youths, a reference to students’ protests for restoration of the judiciary.

Eulogising the courage shown by judges, the nationalist leader said the only offence of the deposed judges was that they had differed with the generals on issues of missing persons, imposition of the state of emergency and the eligibility of a uniformed general to contest the presidential poll.

He demanded an immediate end to army operations in Balochistan, NWFP and Fata.

He said people who had successfully resisted the British were being asked to accept unconstitutional steps of President Musharraf.

He said the country had not been formed for a handful of army generals and the nation would no longer tolerate dictatorship.

The APDM convener said the alliance’s peaceful struggle would continue.

He said that political activists were not attending the rallies of lawyers “to avoid spoiling the legal community’s case”.