LAHORE: Different religious groups including Tehreek Dawatul Haq, Islami Jamhoori Ittehad, Muttahida Jamiat Ahle Hadis and Ittehad Ulema Council on Saturday announced their support to the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf candidates contesting by-elections in 14 districts in the province.

Speaking at a news conference at Jamia Taleemul Quran, the religious groups leaders including Pir Hanif, Syed Waliullah Shah Bukhari, Hafiz Nauman Hamid flanked by PTI leaders said the PML-N coalition government was [allegedly] harassing people just to protect its corruption.

PTI central Punjab president Dr Yasmin Rashid and general secretary Hammad Azhar said the by-election on 20 seats had assumed a great importance as its results would decide whether the PML-N government could be toppled or not.

Dr Rashid said every segment of the society was amassing support for Imran Khan since he was the only leader who would steer the country out of the crisis. She said the successive governments had taken the country to slavery and this election would help the country to take the path of progress.

Mr Azhar expressed gratitude to the religious groups for extending support to the PTI for by-elections and asserted that the PTI candidates would now win the elections and topple the PML-N government.

He said the nation must go for general elections because the country was heading towards economic disaster. “Some 70 per cent of people as per fresh surveys want to go to the fresh general elections,” he added.

Senator Ijaz Chaudhry said the religious organisations had supported Imran Khan because he was the only leader who announced and tried to establish Riasat-e-Madina in the country.

Published in Dawn, July 10th, 2022