UPPER DIR, Dec 14: A prominent lawyer, who was a candidate of the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (F) for the PF-92 (Dir-II) seat, withdrew his nomination papers on Friday.

Ahmad Ali Yousafzai said he was withdrawing his papers in support of the lawyers’ movement for restoration of the pre-Nov 3 judiciary and in line with a decision of the Supreme Court Bar Association and the NWFP Bar Council.

“Sixty honourable judges of the Supreme Court and high courts have rendered sacrifices for the rule of law.

“We are not going to leave them alone at this defining moment,” he told journalists.

Criticising the government’s use of excessive force against judges, lawyers, journalists and members of civil society, he said: “Honest and dauntless judges were sacked, all basic rights suspended and media muzzled by a dictator for his personal interests. There is no rule of law, but rule of a dictator,” he said.

“In case of rigging, there is no forum to get justice from,” Ahmad Ali said.

He thanked the party’s provincial leadership for reposing confidence in him and allotting a provincial assembly ticket and said he would continue to be an active worker of the party led by Maulana Fazlur Rehman.