QUETTA: Leader of Opposition in the Balochistan Assembly Maulana Abdul Wasey said on Tuesday the provincial leadership of the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (JUI-F) had no authority to expel him from the party.

“I am a member of this party by birth,” Maulana Wasey said at a press conference held here at the residence of JUI-F lawmaker Sardar Abdul Rehman Khetran.

Another MPA of the party, Mufti Gulab, was also present on the occasion.

Also read: JUI-F suspends Maulana Wasey’s membership

Reacting to the announcement made by the JUI-F’s provincial leadership that his basic membership of the party had been suspended, Maulana Wasey said that only the party’s central leadership could suspend the membership of a member who was found to be involved in violating discipline.

He said the provincial leadership was not aware that the party’s constitution was amended six months ago and under the amendments the power of taking such a decision had been taken away from the party’s provincial leadership.

“I am still a member of the JUI-F as the central command of the party has not informed me about such a decision,” Maulana Wasey said, adding that central emir of the party Maulana Fazlur Rehman had so far not contacted him in this regard.

He accused the provincial leaders of the party of “massively rigging” party elections.

He alleged that the provincial leadership of the party had taken the decision against him under a conspiracy, adding that all such conspiracies would be foiled. However, he dispelled the impression that differences had emerged in the JUI-F or that there were groups in the party.

Answering a question about the possibility of his joining the proposed PML-N-led government in Balochistan, he said he had, so far, not taken such a decision.

Published in Dawn, November 4th, 2015

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