KARACHI: The Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) on Saturday claimed that their talks with the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) for formation of the upcoming city and town councils had entered an advanced stage of negotiations.

Addressing a press conference at Idara Noor-i-Haq, JI Karachi chief Hafiz Naeemur Rehman said that they would counter the Pakistan Peoples Party’s ‘fascism’ by upholding the traditions of democracy and warned the ruling party in Sindh against staging a ‘market of conscience’ by ‘horse-trading’.

The JI leader said it was strange that the PPP was celebrating its victory in the local government elections despite the fact that it was short of 24 votes to get its mayor elected in the mega city, and this was an obvious sign that some conspiracy was underway by unfair practices.

The PPP was celebrating what they claim to be their ‘victory’, whereas it was an open secret that the party employed ‘unmatchable fascist tactics’ and state oppression to rig the polls and increase their numbers, he added.

Hafiz Naeem warns PPP against ‘horse-trading’

He said that the total number of seats required to establish a local government in Karachi and win the election of Karachi mayor will be 184, whereas the total seats of the JI would reach 191 after coalition with the PTI.

Hafiz Naeem alleged that the Election Commission of Pakistan had been held hostage by the PPP.

He criticised the PPP for amending the local government law at a time when the polls were held and the government was yet to be formed.

The JI leader also condemned the Sindh government as well as the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics for ‘slashing’ the population of Karachi by half.

He asked that the government to abstain itself from the politics of vendetta.

Talking about the role of law enforcement agencies, he said that unfortunately Rangers played the role of only spectators in Karachi when the “PPP goons were rigging the elections and storming polling stations”.

Talking about the law and order situation across the country in general and Punjab in particular, the JI leader said that the government was responsible to maintain peace and order in the country.

He said that the JI did not support the disturbance and violence in the name of protest at any cost, but at the same time the party also opposed any attempt to resort to undemocratic and draconian measures against a political party or group.

He particularly condemned the government over arresting female political workers.

JI leaders Munim Zaffar, Raja Arif Sultan, Advocate Saifuddin, Abdul Wahab, Ishaq Khan, Abdul Razzaq, Zahid Askari and others were also present.

Published in Dawn, May 14th, 2023