KOHAT: Hooliganism and fist fight among workers marred a meeting of Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl general body of Kohat district, which was convened to remove reservations about changing loyalties by some members of the party during the district nazim elections.

The meeting held at a seminary at Jarma here on Sunday was attended by over 300 party activists. JUI-F district nazim Maulana Niaz Mohammad, district president Maulana Abdul Hayee, secretary general Jameel Paracha and its tehsil Kohat naib nazim Shahid Mehmood and Kohat tehsil nazim Malik Taimoor of PML-N were also present on the occasion.

They vent their spleen by exchanging blows and kicking and abusing each other besides locking up Maulana Wahab in a room. He was rescued by the police who stormed the hall where chairs were flying and people were manhandling each other.

Sources said that serious differences already persisted in the party due Jameel Paracha’s supporting Amjid Afridi group that comprised a splinter part of JUI-F and PML-N, PPP, ANP and JUI-S.

Both sides levelled serious allegations against each other and alleged that Jameel Paracha and other councillors had received money from Amjid Afridi for supporting his candidates in the nazim and naib nazim elections. The sources said that the report of Sunday’s scene had been sent to the JUI-F high command for taking action against certain activists.

The disorder was sparked when a suspended member of JUI-F Ghayasuddin came on the stage to address the workers. He was not allowed to speak and was beaten up and forcibly removed from the stage which ignited a clash between the diehard members and those who had changed the loyalty.

The group opposing Ghayasuddin said that as he had been suspended therefore he could not address the meeting. Mr Ghayas’ supporters were of the opinion that the district leadership could not suspend the membership of any member, as it was the sole discretion of the provincial leadership.

Published in Dawn, September 7th, 2015

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