Jamaat-e-Islami’s Lahore chief Mian Maqsood (L) and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's Punjab organiser Chaudhry Muhammad Sarwar (R) hold a joint press conference in Lahore on October 5, 2015. PHOTO: INP
Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) announced on Monday its support for the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) in the upcoming by-polls in NA-122 and PP-147 Lahore.
“Upon the directives and consultations received from the party’s central leadership we have decided to support PTI in NA-122 and PP-147,” JI’s Lahore chief Mian Maqsood said while addressing a joint press conference with PTI’s Punjab organiser Chaudhry Muhammad Sarwar.
Read: Will not allow rigging in NA-122 by-poll: Imran
The JI leader said that his party’s reservations on the upcoming local government (LG) polls were duly addressed by PTI’s Punjab organiser resulting in an agreement between both the parties.
“Our complete focus is on LG polls and we invited PTI’s leadership to build a joint strategy for the elections which was accepted by them,” Maqsood said, claiming that the consultation process went on for two to three days.
Meanwhile, PTI’s Chaudhry Sarwar thanked Mian Maqsood and JI leadership for supporting his party in NA-122 and PP-147.
Read: Army, Rangers to be deployed for Punjab by-polls: ECP
“We held three meetings with the JI leadership and remained successful in addressing their concerns,” Sarwar claimed while announcing PTI’s support for the JI candidate in Mansoora, which is a stronghold of JI.
Further, the PTI leader said by-polls in NA-122 will decide if the federal government’s policies have been welcomed by the people or they are ready for a change. “It’s not going to be an election but a referendum on the government’s policies.”
The coveted NA-122, Lahore, seat fell vacant after an election tribunal in its verdict on August 22 found irregularities in the 2013 general elections, ultimately causing Sadiq, the former National Assembly speaker, to step down.
It had been announced on Sunday that the JI will disclose its position on supporting the PTI in the NA-122 constituency at a joint press conference on Monday (today). The announcement was made after delegations from both parties met for a second time since Friday to discuss the matter.
Read: Soliciting support: Jamaat to clarify position on supporting PTI today
PTI’s delegation was led by Chaudhry Sarwar and included Aleem Khan, deputy provincial organiser Omer Sarfaraz Cheema, Lahore organiser Shafqat Mahmood, and Leader of the Opposition in Punjab Assembly Mehmoodur Rasheed. The JI delegation was led by its Lahore chief Mian Maqsood Ahmed.
On Friday, the Majlis Wahdatul Muslimeen (MWM) and the Jamiat Ulema Pakistan-Niazi faction (JUP-Niazi) had also announced their support for the PTI candidates in the by-poll.
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