Firm stance: JI leaders threaten to besiege CM House

Ask ECP to withhold results until complaints are addressed

PESHAWAR: Members of Jamaat-e-Islami Peshawar chapter have threatened to besiege Chief Minister House as they believe plans to rig the local government elections were hatched there.

According to a statement issued by the party following a meeting of its district leaders on Friday, JI has urged the district returning officer in the provincial capital take decisions on more than 10,000 poll-related complaints.

Moreover, the DRO has been asked to act impartially and not be influenced by any candidates who participated in the elections as he has already attracted controversy by failing to take any action so far.

JI leaders stuck to their guns on rigging allegations and insisted a judicial commission should be set up to investigate the complaints. They added final results would be withheld until the matter was addressed.

Party leaders said if the matter is not resolved, they will take to the streets against the chief minister on June 8. JI leaders assured the party will also issue further details on election malpractice.

The meeting was chaired by JI Peshawar Ameer Sabir Hussain Awan and was attended by Advocate Baharullah, Hafiz Hashmat Khan, Kashif Azam and local government candidates from Peshawar.

Speaking at the meeting, Awan said Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf influenced the outcomes of the polls through the district administration and the police. He asked those candidates who believe they lost the polls due to widespread rigging to contact JI as it would raise a voice for them.

He said all political parties were also complaining of malpractice in the election.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 6^th, 2015.