SWABI: Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl has said it will challenge in the election tribunal the results of the Swabi tehsil chairman seat because the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf had allegedly used illegal tactics to win the slot.

Talking to mediapersons here on Tuesday, Maulana Fazal Ali, the party’s central naib chief, said: “We have rejected the elections for the Swabi tehsil chairman slot, which the PTI won, as the PTI contestant had the full backing of National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser.”

Mr Ali argued that the PTI candidate had lost elections in his native Marghuz village, and questioned then how he could win the whole tehsil. He said in proper Swabi city, the JUI-F was in contest with PML-N, and in Shahmansoor and Marghuz his party was neck and neck with ANP.

He added that PTI’s Attaullah Khan was not in the contest in important localities.

Mr Ali alleged that the PTI used the same tactics in the local body polls it had applied in the 2018 general elections and that the JUI-F had collected the entire results which would be discussed with the party’s leadership to adopt a new line of action.

“We will consult the leaders of other political parties as well, and challenge the election results in the election tribunal,” he said. Maulana Ali, who remained KP education minister during the MMA government, alleged that Asad Qaiser used illegal means to ‘snatch’ the seat.

Mr Ali alleged that JUI-F leaders did not get results till 1pm the next day, and even result in his own Zarobai village and Maneri also came late. The JUI-F leader said the form-17 was also not given to the party.

Published in Dawn, December 22nd, 2021