TIMERGARA, March 10: Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam leader and former chief minister Akram Khan Durrani has said that the election boycott by Jamaat-i-Islami in 2008 had badly affected Pakhtuns in the region.

Addressing ‘Islam Zindabad conference’ at Khaima Balambat here on Sunday, he said that the political scenario would have been different had the JI taken part in the previous election.

Other JUI-F leaders who spoke on the occasion include Gul Naseeb Khan, Rahat Hussain, Dir Lower amir Qazi Fazlullah and provincial vice chief Maulana Attaur Rahman.

Mr Durrani said that life, property and dignity of people in the region had not been secured during last five years.

“Lawlessness has been damaging the state’s integrity and no one is feeling secure in the country,” he said, adding that the present rulers had failed to satisfy people of the province.

He said that people of Balochistan were fed up with the present government, as it had done nothing for their welfare. He said that the JUI-F leadership paved the way for talks with Taliban, but the federal government was still hesitating in this regard. “The centre does not allow Maulana Fazlur Rahman to go ahead with the talks,” he said.

Other JUI-F leaders said that the ruling PPP and ANP had miserably failed to solve people’s problems despite their pro-people slogans. On this occasion, several people belonging to Talash, Lajbok, Maidan and Timergara announced to join the JUI-F.