LAHORE: Tehrik-i-Minhajul Quran (TMQ) chief Dr Tahirul Qadri on Tuesday announced his decision not to contest Pakistan’s upcoming general elections.

The Canadian-Pakistani cleric led thousands of people to Islamabad last week, protesting for electoral reforms. However, he called off the four-day sit-in after the federal government decided to accept some of his demands.

Speaking to media representatives in Lahore, Qadri announced that neither him or his family would take part in polls even if his party, the Pakistan Awami Tehrik (PAT), decides to contest the general election.

Qadri said that his party had started the consultation process with the government regarding electoral reforms.

He said that some people did not wish that reforms take place in Pakistan, which he said was the reason that the masses were being disillusioned by the democratic process.