December 05, 2007	Wednesday	Ziqa'ad 24, 1428

PESHAWAR, Dec 4: Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rahman has asked workers of his party to speed up the election campaign and said the JUI(F) would not leave the field open to supporters of the United States and Pervez Musharraf.

He was addressing a press conference after a meeting with JUI(F) candidates and district amirs at Jamia Hadia here on Tuesday. However, he said that he was not expecting fair and transparent elections under the present set-up.

He said that in principle he was not against the All Parties Democratic Movement and the charter of demands, but boycotting elections would be a blunder and political parties staying away from the polls would later regret.

Maulana Fazl said the JUI(F) would not enter into an electoral alliance with any political party, except the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal, but seat adjustments with the PPP (S) and other parties at the district level were possible.

Answering a question about Jamaat-i-Islami’s boycott decision, he said that the JI stance was not clear because its candidates had submitted nomination papers. He said he would try to persuade the Jamaat to contest the elections as the MMA had applied for a joint symbol.

He said a boycott would be effective if all political parties took a joint decision.