KARAK: The Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl leaders have expressed concern about differences in the party at the district level and urged activists to resolve differences to ensure victory in the imminent local body elections.

They met here on Friday with JUI-F district president Hafiz Ibne Ameen in the chair. The party office-bearers and workers attended the meeting in large numbers.

Addressing the meeting, JUI-F leader and former provincial minister Mian Nisar Gul said some party men were not ready to accept newcomers and that even, he had so far not been accepted by some leaders.

He said he was upset by differences in the party and that if differences continued, then the party’s win in the upcoming local body elections won’t be possible.

The former minister said if the party didn’t win local body elections at district level, then its success in the next general elections was not possible.

He said all decisions in the party should be taken by mutual consultation.

Gul also complained about theft of crude oil from the pipeline leading to the Central Processing Facility, Makori from oil fields of the foreign oil and gas exploration company, MOL, and said the theft has earned the district a bad name at the country level.

The participants demanded the immediate inquiry into the Rs4 billion theft for the punishment of culprits.

JUI-F leader Javed Iqbal Khattak said the party would field candidates on all seats in the district for local body elections.

He also said the party would hold sit-ins outside the houses of elected representatives over distribution of funds to their blue-eyed people.

Published in Dawn, November 29th , 2014