LAKKI MARWAT: JUI-F activists came to blows during an intra-party election meeting here on Wednesday.

The meeting was held in a religious seminary located on Begukhel road near the Lakki city. Provincial election convener Maulana Rashid and deputy convener Maulana Amanat Shah supervised the election process.

Three panels led by former general secretary Maulana Samiullah Mujahid, provincial Salar Maulana Abdul Waheed and former general secretary Qari Saifur Rehman were in the run for the key slots of district emir and general secretary.

However, the election meeting turned into a fish market and activists supporting Samiullah Mujahid and Abdul Waheed panels quarreled with each other over rejection of 50 membership cards of workers affiliated with the latter group. The rejection of cards deprived workers of the right to cast vote in the intra-party election.

The situation went ugly when activists from both the groups used fists and kicks and even beat up one another with batons.

A senior party leader Mohammad Zaman was injured in the fight. He later approached police for registration of case against Samiullah and Mohammad Sher.

Taking notice of the situation, the provincial election convener in consultation with ulema changed the venue of the meeting and conducted election there.

A statement issued by the provincial election convener said 435 out of 612 members attended the meeting at the new venue and unanimously elected Maulana Abdul Rahim district emir and Samiullah Mujahid general secretary for the next term.

Maulana Rashid also terminated party membership of Maulana Waheed for five years for creating uproar and disturbance in election meeting in violation of the party constitution.

On the other hand, the disgruntled activists led by Maulana Waheed announced their support to Qari Saifur Rehman group and formed a parallel cabinet by electing Saifur Rehman district emir and Maulana Shabir Ahmad general secretary.

Published in Dawn, April 4th, 2019