Pledging support: Entire village in Lower Dir joins JUI-F

Deputy chief of the party says locals are disillusioned by others.

TIMERGARA:

An entire village in Khal tehsil of Lower Dir on Tuesday joined Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) in the presence of the party’s deputy chief Maulana Naseeb Gul Khan.

JUI-F chief in Khal and expected candidate for the party from the PK-93 constituency, Akhunzada Hidayatullah said elders decided to join the JUI-F in a meeting held with residents of Kamartaal village. A joining ceremony was organised by Khan on Tuesday in which 250 people and 21 of the tehsil’s clerics joined the party.

Addressing villagers and party activists, Khan said people had decided to leave their respective political parties and join the JUI-F because they have realised the true nature of their old political leaders. After achieving a breakthrough in the upcoming elections, the JUI-F would provide the area with basic necessities, he said, adding that no political leaders had given any attention to the mountainous region during the past five years. “JUI-F will not neglect the people.”

Khan maintained their government would strive hard to educate younger generations and make an effort to solve issues facing Kamartaal and adjoining villages. A large number of people from Kwana, Otilal, Datlal, Takrang, Luqman Bhanda, Shidiyal and Rondio participated in the gathering which was also addressed by local cleric Qari Ishaq along with JUI-F activist Zahid.

In the 2008 general elections, independent candidate Hayat Khan won from PK-93 constituency by securing 8,339 votes. He defeated Muhammad Shah Zubair of the Pakistan Peoples Party who received 6,044 votes. The area was previously a stronghold of Jamaat-e-Islami and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz. There are a total of 93,549 registered voters in PK-93.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 13^th, 2013.