KARACHI, Dec 6: The holding of free, fair and transparent elections depends on a strong and independent judiciary and media, but unfortunately, both the institutions have been made ineffective by slapping emergency rule in the country under the Provisional Constitution Order.

This was stated by Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf Sindh chapter president Mohammad Zubair Khan. He was speaking at a press conference at the Karachi Press Club on Thursday.

Mr Khan said that in view of the “unconstitutional steps and autocratic policies of Gen (retd) Musharraf, which had pushed the country to the verge of collapse, party chief Imran Khan had made himself aloof from the election process”. He said his stand was endorsed by two other major parties, the PML-N and the Jamaat-i-Islami.

The PTI leader said the parties which were insisting on contesting the elections were deviating from the “principled stand” and “evading the constitutional and democratic struggle”.

He said the boycott of the elections could only pave the way for democracy.