LOWER DIR: Jamaat-i-Islami chief Sirajul Haq has said that Prime Minister Mian Shehbaz Sharif and Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf chairman Imran Khan have agreed to start negotiations for holding general elections in the country.

He said that clash among politicians always resulted in imposition of martial law. He said that instead of remaining neutral, judiciary, election commission and parliament had become parties.

Addressing an Iftar-dinner arranged by JI youth wing in Maidan as chief guest and later talking to journalists on Sunday evening, Siraj said solution to all the prevailing problems in the country was holding general elections on the same day.

The gathering was also addressed by JI district chief Izazul Mulk Afkari, district president of JI youth wing Ateequr Rehman and others.

The JI chief said that national leadership did not adopt a clear plan regarding elections. He said that without electoral reforms and proper planning, the result of polls would not be different from the past.

He said that JI started efforts to bring both the ruling Pakistan Democratic Movement and PTI to the negotiating table to devise a joint strategy to overcome the current political and economic crises. He said that both Prime Minister Mian Shehbaz Sharif and PTI chairman Imran Khan had agreed to start negotiations regarding general elections. He said that he was hopeful that the talks would steer the country out of the current political turmoil.

Siraj said that about 11 million Pakistanis were living below the poverty line while 85 per cent of them were forced to drink contaminated water. “Every fifth Pakistani suffers from depression while every 11th person suffers from physical disability. Despite being citizens of an agricultural country, the people are running behind the flour truck during Ramazan to get it free,” he said. He added that 20 people lost their lives while getting free flour.

The JI chief said that the task of the caretaker government was to monitor and hold elections but instead of fulfilling its responsibilities, it was dreaming of staying in power for the next three years.

POSTS: JI leader and former MNA Sahibzada Yaqub Khan on Monday demanded of government to fill both the vacant posts of district education officers male and female in Lower Dir without further delay.

In his written statement, he said that the posts of DEO male and female had been vacant in the district for more than two months. He said that several cases related to pension, transfers, postings and leaves were pending at the offices of DEOs in the district. He said that JI would raise the issue in parliament if its demand was not met.

Published in Dawn, April 18th, 2023