Soliciting support: Jamaat to clarify position on supporting PTI today

LAHORE:

The Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) will disclose its position on supporting the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) in the upcoming by-poll in the NA-122 constituency at a joint press conference on Monday (today).

The announcement was made on Sunday after delegations from both parties met for a second time since Friday to discuss the matter.

PTI’s delegation was led by its Punjab organiser 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 amir, Mian Maqsood Ahmed.

Speaking to the media after the meeting, Sarwar said he was confident about Aleem Khan’s success in the upcoming by-election. He said several political parties had agreed to support Khan against PML-N’s Sardar Ayaz Sadiq.

On the possibility of an alliance between the two parties for the local government elections, Sarwar said the PTI had picked up candidates. He said adjustments with another party were not possible at this stage.

On Friday, the Majlis Wahdatul Muslimeen (MWM) and the Jamiat Ulema Pakistan-Niazi faction (JUP-Niazi) had announced their support for the PTI candidates in the by-poll.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 5^th, 2015.