LOWER DIR: Jamaat-i-Islami chief Sirajul Haq will contest the next elections for the National Assembly from his hometown constituency of NA-7 in Lower Dir.

This was announced by JI provincial chief Prof Ibrahim while speaking at a news conference at Ahyaul Uloom, Balambat, here on Tuesday.

He also named the candidates for the second national and five provincial assembly seats in the district.

The nominated candidates were also present on the occasion. Prof Ibrahim said Maulana Ismail, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief Khateeb, would contest for the NA-6 seat.

He said former MNA Sahibzada Yaqub Khan would vie for PK-13, Azizullah Khan for PK-14, Shad Nawaz Khan for PK-15, former MPA Izazul Mulk Afkari for PK-16 and former MPA Saeed Gul for PK-17.

Prof Ibrahim said all the candidates were nominated through a secret ballot. He said the workers’ choice was sent to the JI central organisation, which approved the names. He said the Jamaat would fully participate in the next elections, and workers had been directed to speed up their door-to-door electioneering.

Candidates for other seats in the district also announced

The JI provincial chief alleged both the PDM and PTI governments had failed to govern the country. He declared it was the JI that could provide an honest and devoted leadership to the country.

He said JI would contest the elections with its own election symbol of scale.

He said almost all parties had taken their share in the Toshakhana gifts, tarnishing Pakistan’s image abroad.

He said the party members’ consent in decision making was highly honoured, adding rest of the political parties lacked this ‘real democracy’.

Prof Ibrahim said it was responsibility of the election commission to allow only ‘honest and pious’ candidates to contest the general elections.

SPORTS GALA: Following the directives of inspector general of prisons Saadat Hasan, the district administration arranged a sports gala for the inmates at the Timergara district jail on Tuesday.

The prisoners took part in various games and entertained the spectators. They also enjoyed traditional folk music.

Additional deputy commissioner Tariq Hussain, who was the chief guest, distributed trophies and prizes among the winning and runner-up teams.

Published in Dawn, March 15th, 2023