PESHAWAR: The central parliamentary board of Jamaat-i-Islami here on Thursday nominated party chief Sirajul Haq for the Senate election from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The parliamentary board met here at the party’s provincial secretariat which was presided over by JI general secretary Liaquat Baloch, said a press release. The board decided that Sirajul Haq would be the party candidate for the Senate election scheduled to be held on March 5.

JI provincial chief Prof Mohammad Ibrahim Khan was nominated as covering candidates. Prof Ibrahim had already served as member of the Upper House. The press release said that the board unanimously nominated Sirajul Haq for the Senate seat.

Currently Sirajul Haq is member of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly where JI total strength is eight. He had also served as finance minister in the provincial government. The board also set up committee to run election campaign for the party chief. He will quit the provincial assembly seat if he is elected Senator.

JI is coalition partner of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf in the provincial government. Insiders said that PTI had assured JI that it would support Sirajul Haq in the upcoming election for the Senate.

However, sources said that JI would negotiate with other likeminded parties in the provincial assembly to muster maximum support for Sirajul Haq.

Published in Dawn, February 13th, 2015

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