LOWER DIR: Jamaat-i-Islami, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chapter chief Senator Mushtaq Ahmad Khan on Sunday asked the Election Commission of Pakistan to stop Prime Minister Imran Khan, Chief Minister Mahmood Khan and ministers from visiting Lower Dir before the second phase of the local body elections as it was tantamount to pre-poll rigging.

He made the demand while addressing the annual certificate distribution function at Jamia Tafheemul Quran, and later talking to journalists.

He alleged that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government was trying to influence the LB polls.

He announced to convene a multiparty conference on the matter on Jan 25.

He claimed that Rs1.5 billion had been released to the tehsil municipal administrations in the districts where local government polls were scheduled, and urged the ECP to take notice of it as it was tantamount to influencing the free and transparent conduct of the elections.

He said visits of ministers to the districts, where LB polls are to be held, could create a law and order situation. He said the JI would not let the government sabotage the upcoming polls.

Senator Mushtaq said collection of Rs97 billion as fuel price adjustment from power consumers in the months of December and January was financial terrorism against the consumers.

Certificates and shields were given to 24 students on completion of their courses at the seminary.

PENSIONER’S COMPLAINT: A retired high school headmaster has complained the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has stopped his wife’s pension from Nov 2021 onwards.

Talking to journalists, Jehan Zeb said he had got retired from service in 2014 while his wife, also headmistress, retired in 2016.

He said both of them had received pension regularly till Nov 2021, but later the pension of his wife was stopped by the provincial government. He said he would move court against the decision.

Published in Dawn, January 24th, 2022