ISLAMABAD, Jan 20: The Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) has urged the government not to withdraw the condition of graduation for becoming National and provincial assemblies’ members.

A party spokesman, in a statement on Sunday, said those who were demanding the waiver of this condition were not friends of the country, and they did not want to see capable and competent persons replace the existing lot of corrupt politicians.

He asked the government not to succumb to the pressure of negative forces and go on with the political reforms agenda in the country without which the vicious circle of corrupt politicians could not be broken.

He also demanded of the government to reduce the voters’ age limit in the national and provincial assemblies’ elections to 18 years as it was done during the newly-introduced district government polls.

The spokesman said in this way the youth could be engaged in the political process of the country which would have a positive impact on the whole electoral process.

He said if the way of illiterate and incompetent politicians was not blocked and the condition of graduation was waived off, the country’s fate could not be changed and once again the corrupt and incompetent feudal and industrialists would come to power.

The spokesman advised the government not to bow to these elements as they were agents of forces of status quo and did not want to see progress and prosperity of the country.

He demanded of the government to hold future elections on proportionate representation basis, as without doing so the seven-point reforms agenda spelled out by President Gen Musharraf could not be accomplished.

Meanwhile, the PAT chairman, Dr Tahirul Qadri, left here for a one week tour to Egypt, Syria and Jordan to project Pakistan’s viewpoint on the war against terrorism and tension between New Delhi and Islamabad.

According to PAT Media Advisor Syed Abid Gillani, Dr Qadri will deliver President Gen Pervez Musharraf’s message to the heads of the states of Egypt, Syria and Jordan.

He will inform the leaders of these states about the growing tension in the region and the hostile posture adopted by the Indian government.

He further informed that besides delivering a special message of President Musharraf, he would also hold meetings with the foreign ministers and other officials of these states.