The JI leader claimed there should be no concern over the JI being awarded the education ministry. PHOTO: FILE
PESHAWAR: Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Provincial Amir Professor Mohammad Ibrahim Khan maintains his party will be awarded the education ministry in the new K-P cabinet.
Ibrahim acknowledged there were reservations about the JI taking over such an important ministry during an address at the JI headquarters after a party provincial general council meeting on Sunday. However, the leader felt there was no cause for such concern.
The provincial amir spoke on several other topics as well. Touching on the much-debated security situation, Khan said every possible step – including peace talks with the Taliban – would be considered to restore law and order in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P).
“We say if there is an opportunity, it should not be wasted. Irrespective of whether the Taliban agree to negotiations or the government takes an initiative,” maintained Ibrahim.
“The need of the hour is to benefit from this opportunity and bring peace. That should be our first priority.”
The party’s general council has expressed its satisfaction over the JI’s performance in the elections, shared the party leader. Talks regarding the formation of the provincial government with the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) were underway, he added.
According to the JI leader, the party will be given three portfolios in the provincial cabinet, and Sirajul Haq, Inayatullah Khan and Habibur Rehman will get ministries.
However, Ibrahim clarified the cabinet portfolios were still being discussed with the PTI. “The talks will be resolved amicably.”
The JI had asked for the Planning and Development Department portfolio, which the Qaumi Watan Party had also demanded. According to Ibrahim, the PTI says the chief minister himself will keep this ministry.
While discussing the elections, Ibrahim argued the polls were a classic example of mismanagement and chaos – each party with the second-highest votes polled was levelling accusations of rigging.
He said the Election Commission of Pakistan was responsible, as it did not properly train the officials conducting the elections.
On the PTI’s policies, Ibrahim said the JI had no objections to the former’s transfer of development funds from lawmakers to local bodies, as distributing development funds was not the duty of lawmakers and the provincial government.
The JI agrees with the PTI’s push to arrange local body elections in the shortest possible time, he added.
Talking about the provincial government’s future, Ibrahim stated K-P’s coalition government will face several problems such as deteriorating law and order, corruption, unemployment, education and health. The JI leader claimed the ruling partners were in unison over putting an end to these issues and bringing good governance to the province.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 20th, 2013.
COMMENTS (22)
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Hussain Haqqani, Saad Rafiq, ......JI does not have turncoats?
Education is the first priority of KPK . this is excellent decision of PTI to give the ministry to JI , because they are honest and eligible for this they are PHD . yhey spread better education because they proved in their schools sahara and more schools in there supervision . May Allah give him to them more and more efforts .
its a good decision to award education ministry to JI. JI is only party having a clean record and no turncoats.... The JI minister is a PHD Doctor and i think he deserve the slot...
@farooque Siddiqui: nothing has been confirmed so pls wait for it
I, being a long-time PTI supporter, see no reason for all the fuss over the possibility of giving the Education Ministry to JI. It's just an administrative position. The revision of curriculum will most likely be done by PTI itself! Much ado about nothing I say!
ManofSteel!
What education minister got to do with spreading education to militant controlled areas? Ministers are brains behind strategies that are executed by ground staff
JI can be given the task of managing ground staff in militant controlled areas but not as a strategist
Give them Culture, Sports, or Tourism ministry. Or the Forest department, so they can go after the lumber mafia. But education? Disappointed in Imran Khan
@Zohaib Aslam: because teacher postings becomes domain of Education Ministry and that gets solid vote.
If you give education to them, you loose my vote forever IK! You are Oxford education. You have people like Azeem Ibrahim and Asad Omar on your side. And JI gets education? No way!
It seems that media is more concerned with education ministry then JI or PTI. Talks are still on-going, and Finance is definitely the biggest chunk of the cake, yet people are hung up on education ministry only. Comparing with MMA is futile, since they had majority and JI has less than 10% seats.
Important to remember that cabinet will be a combined cabinet, where all ministers regardless of party affiliation will work on the same policy agenda under the CM's leadership. So even if its a PTI/JI/QWP education minister, the policy making will be a combination of what PTI, JI and QWP + independents decide collectively and get legislated. No one party will be able to dominate, not PTI and definitely not the JI with only 7 seats. JI's Siraj-ul-haq on a recent TV show, acknowledged this fact, and therefore they will along with PTI and QWP keep their focus first and foremost on local bodies election and other big issues such as corruption, security and improving governance. Everything will come second to that. PTI team and QWP are experienced people and now how to work with JI. No one wants to fail.
One thing to remember is that despite voting for Imran Khan, people of KPK culturally are more close to the religious elements. If Education Ministry is given to PTI & PTI then try to enforce its liberal values through the education system, it would backfire & they may lose it's govt within an year. So Its a sensible decision to award education ministry to a party like JI
Dr Ataur Rehman has been nominated by the PTI leadership as adviser on education in KPK. Good news for KPK
If this ministry was given to JI... I will not support PTI anymore
welcome to have "thunder scott" in KPK too
PTI has already denied this that Education ministry and planing and development will be with PTI,
Please ET stop this biased reporting.
If JI was to get the education ministry then there is no joy in PTI winning in KPK. Who wants the education system of Zia or no change at all to the current system? JI has had enough chances to change something with education, why can't they be given something else? PTI would be crazy to give them something as fundamental to change as education.
Why is JI so concerned about having education ministry!!!
to spread education in areas controlled by militants, i feel JI can do far better than any other party. One need to infiltrate into such area first, and im sure JI and PTI can work together well with combining modern education within islamic values. Hope all goes well though.
Why is having education ministry so important for JI !!!
JI will change education system to sharia education.
Giving education and finance ministry to JI. It's called old wine in old bottle mixed with new wine. PTI is asking for disaster by giving such imp ministries to JI. Then where is "Naya Pakistan"
People of KPK will regret voting for PTI within one year.