MANSEHRA: Jamaat-i-Islami central emir Sirajul Haq has said all political and religious parties should sit together for election reforms.

“If the political parties want election reforms acceptable to all of them and beneficial to the people, they should ignore differences and join hands for the purpose,” he reporters here on Friday after offering condolences to lawyer Shahid Bajori over the death of his son.

Mr Haq said the Pakistan Democratic Movement, which was currently in power, and former prime minister Imran Khan, whose government was recently ousted, should accept each other and sit together for the much-needed election reforms.

“As for our stand on poll reforms, we [Jamaat] want the strict enforcement of sections 62 and 63 of the Constitution to remove corrupt people from politics,” he said.

The JI emir said overseas Pakistanis should not only be given the right to vote but the special seats should also be reserved in parliament for them.

“Former Premier Imran Khan telephoned me after a gap of four and a half years and discussed with me the current political situation in the country. I agreed to sit with him to discus national matters,” he said.

He said that his party was ready to play the role of a mediator between the government and PTI in the large public interest as he said his party was not waging power politics.

“We [JI] are not power hungry and can play a mediators’ role to end the current economic and political challenges faced by the nation,” Mr Haq said.

STRATEGY FINALISED: The Balakot tehsil administration, police, Kaghan Development Authority and the hoteliers’ body have finalised a joint strategy for the safety of tourists in Kaghan valley during Eid days and the rest of the ongoing tourism season.

“We expect an influx of visitors during Eid days and tourist season, so their safety and provision of the best possible to them will be ensured,” assistant commissioner Saddam Hussain Memon told participants in his office on Friday.

The AC said heavy machinery would be on a standby to deal with emergency situations, while the entry of four-wheelers to Naran city would be bannedduring the season.

He also said the road to Saiful Muluk Lake would be cleared to traffic after the removal of snow before Eid.

Mr Memon said that emergency teams along with shovels and excavators machines would be stationed at the different places at the MNJ road and would clear it in case of landslides and any untoward situation.

Published in Dawn, April 23rd, 2022