LAHORE, Feb 27: The Grand Democratic Alliance, a coalition of smaller parties, decided here on Wednesday to contest the October elections “under protest” and to persuade other parties not to boycott them since this would amount to leaving the field open to elements who were all praise for each and every decision of the government, irrespective of its merit.

A meeting of the alliance constituents said that in view of the bitter experience of the 1997 elections, the alliance would “not” call for the formation of an interim government to supervise the elections.

The participants said that the GDA would not mind a change in electoral laws. However, they contested the government’s right to amend the constitution, irrespective of the Supreme Court ruling on the subject.

While pro-government parties like the Pakistan Muslim League (Quaid-i-Azam), the Pakistan Awami Tehrik, the Millat Party and the Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaaf, are gearing up for the elections, the GDA is the first opposition alliance to decide to contest the polls, whatever the rules of the game.

GDA chief Hamid Nasir Chattha presided over the meeting held at the residence of its secretary-general, Pir Fazle Haq.

An ARD meeting is due to be held here on Thursday with Nawabzada Nasrullah Khan in the chair. This will be followed by a meeting of the APC steering committee at Mansoora on Friday.

“Everything under the sun will come up for discussion at the two meetings”, the Nawabzada said on Wednesday.

He did not offer any comment on PPP’s decision to invite applications from those wishing to taking part in the elections, although the government had so far taken none of the steps demanded by the ARD for free and fair elections. “The PPP is in a better position to answer the question,” an evasive Nawabzada said.

The ARD and the APC are of the view that an interim set-up, both at the centre and in the provinces, and an autonomous election commission are required to ensure free and fair elections.

Mr Chattha told reporters after the meeting that autonomy granted to the election commission so far was not sufficient.

Warning the government against any amendment to the constitution, the GDA chief said the matter should be left to the parliament.

It was ridiculous, Mr Chattha said, that while the electoral college for the president did not exist, everybody knew who the next head of the state would be. “This is an excellent example of transparency,” he said sarcastically.

He sought an immediate end to the ban on political activities to enable the parties to take their manifestos to the electorate. If permission was not granted even now with the elections only eight months away, the electoral exercise would become meaningless, the GDA president said.

The alliance would hold a seminar in the provincial metropolis on March 31 and a workers’ convention in Faisalabad on April 7.