JI Peshawar president steps down after NA-4 defeat

Sabir Hussain Awan refutes rumours he was forced to resign

PESHAWAR: Sabir Hussain Awan has stepped down as Peshawar president of the Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) in the wake of his party’s humiliating defeat in the NA-4 by-election held on October 26.

Awan, who has sent his resignation to the party’s provincial council, told The Express Tribune that it was his moral obligation to resign from the position after his party’s defeat in the Peshawar by-election.

“I am probably not the right person for the post and hopefully someone better will come forward to head the party in Peshawar,” he said.

Awan refuted rumours that he was forced to resign. “It was my own decision,” he maintained.

The PTI succeeded in retaining the National Assembly seat that fell vacant after the death of its estranged MNA, Gulzar Khan.

PTI’s candidate Arbab Amir Ayub bagged 45,734 votes, followed by ANP’s Khusdil Khan with 24,874 votes and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s Nasir Khan Musazai with 24,790 votes.

 



Asad Gulzar Khan of the Pakistan Peoples Party secured 13,200 votes, Tehreek-e-Labbaik’s Allama Dr Mohammad Shafique Ameeni 9,935 and JI’s Wasil Farooq Jan 7,668 votes.

Awan said his party had run an effective election campaign but it was all a game of money and government resources.

“We don’t bag votes using illegal means, like bribing voters,” he said. “Hopefully, our party will be more prepared for the next general elections.”

Managing just 7,668 votes, the JI candidate stood sixth in the Peshawar by-election. In the general elections held in 2013, the party’s same candidate, Wasil Farooq Jan, had secured third position.

The JI performed even worse than the Tehreek-Labbaik Pakistan, the newly-formed religio-political party. The party’s share of votes dropped from 11.9% in the 2013 general elections to only 5.7% in the recent by-poll.

Sources within the JI say that some members are unhappy with the party’s decision to remain a partner in the coalition government in the province.