MANSEHRA, Nov 10: Differences among members of the JUI-F have deepened on the issue of stripping Mufti Kifayatullah of the party’s basic membership.

Mufti Kifayatullah, who was expelled from the party by the District Shura of the JUI-F Mansehra in the last week of October is striving hard to get his membership restored.

This has given rise to serious differences among JUI-F leaders.

The meeting of the party’s provincial executive council, which was to discuss the issue, has twice been postponed on the interference of the party chief Maulana Fazalur Rehman to avoid further cracks in the JUI-F.

A party spokesman said that apparently Mufti Kifayatullah was expelled from the party for filing nomination papers against the party policy for the slot of district nazim in the by-elections, but the charge-sheet against him carried many issues that were not made public.

He informed that Mufti Kifayatullah enjoyed very little support not only in the District Shura but also in the provincial executive council of the party and most vocal among his opponents were Moulana Syed Ghulam Nabbi Shah of Jabouri, Senator Syed Hidayatullah Shah and the district chief of JUI-F Mansehra Qari Mohammad Afzal.

They accused Mufti Kifayatullah of committing malpractice in the process of seat to seat adjustment and nominating unfit candidates for national and provincial assembly seats in the last general elections, the spokesman said.

They, he added, also accused him of receiving a huge amount from a woman.

He informed that the party workers across the province were also annoyed with Chief Minister Akram Durrani and the JUI-F leadership for giving a free hand to Mufti Kifayatullah in official matters.