HYDERABAD, Dec 7: Emergency or martial law will not solve the problems of poverty, unemployment, and price hike, says former chairman of the Hyderabad District Council Pir Khalid Jan Sarhandi.

Talking to reporters at his residence in Tando Mohammad Khan on Friday, Mr Sarhandi said that he would stay away from the elections as the process won’t be fair or transparent. Atmosphere of peace and press freedom and independent institutions were sine quo non for holding free, fair, impartial and transparent elections, he said.