Free wheeling permitted: JI allows members to form local alliances

No objection to members forming alliances at district, UC level, says Siraj

ISLAMABAD: The Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) has given a free hand to its members at the provincial and district level to form alliances with any political party of their own choice. This shall be the preferred practice for the upcoming local government polls in Punjab and Sindh.

Party chief Siraj ul Haq said the Jamaat-e-Islami has allowed members in both provinces to choose the political party they wanted alliances with to contest LG polls.

He said, however, so far at national level the party has not yet taken any decision and would not have any objection over its party member’s decision at union council level to form an alliance with any political party for contesting the LG polls.

“The heads of JI provincial and UCs chapters have been given the authority to take this decision on their own. They decide considering the strength and popularity of political parties in their respective areas,” he said. Dr Fareed Ahmed Piracha, the party’s deputy secretary general, said: “We would not mind party members contesting LG polls by uniting with Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, Pakistan Peoples Party, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam or any other.”

“In Karachi, if various political parties would form an alliance therefore the JI would not mind joining them,” he said.

The party has no objection even if any of its candidates would prefer to contest elections alone, he said.

Meanwhile, JI members in Lahore district have decided to unite with Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf  (PTI) to contest LG polls. This is exactly what they did in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to contest the same elections.

Mian Maqsood Ahmed Ameer Jamaat-e-Islami Lahore District said this decision has been taken by both the political parties on mutual interest and understanding.

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