LOWER DIR: Jamaat-i-Islami chief Sirajul Haq has asked the caretaker government and the Election Commission of Pakistan to ensure elections are held on the stipulated date of Feb 8 as any further delay would lead the country towards anarchy.

He issued the warning while addressing a workers’ convention in Khazana Kotkay area here on Friday.

JI workers from across Jandol subdivision attended the event.

Mr Haq declared neither democracy nor martial law existed in Pakistan and that a remote-controlled democracy would never resolve people’s problems. He said timely election was the only solution to issues of terrorism, unemployment and price hike.

Says ‘remote-controlled’ democracy won’t resolve people’s problems

The JI chief condemned caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar for accepting a two-state solution to the Palestine problem, and said the PM had no mandate to accept such a solution, which was not acceptable to Palestinians.

He said the JI fully supported the cause of Palestinians and Kashmiris.

Mr Haq claimed so far 80,000 Pakistanis had lost lives during the fight against terrorism. He held PML-N, PPP and PTI responsible for the economic crisis. He said millions of youth lacked job opportunities.

The JI chief asked youth to vote for his party to ‘end’ corruption in the country. He promised providing the youth jobs.

He said peace, rule of law and a stable economy were essential for a developed country. He said public support was needed for restoration of lasting peace in the country as security forces could not do it alone.

MEETING: Elders of Nasradinkhel and Osakhel tribes led by former MNA Sahibzada Yaqub Khan met here on Friday to discuss the matter of sale of riverbed sand and gravel by the district administration.

Later, a delegation of elders led by Sahibzada Yaqub Khan and chief of Dir Qaumi Pasoon Malik Jehan Alam Yousafzai met deputy commissioner Wasil Khan. They informed him about the reservations of landowners about the administration’s plan to open bids for sale of sand and gravel on the bed of Panjkora River. They said floods had washed away their agricultural lands on both sides of the river, thus widening the riverbed.

They said National Engineering Services Pakistan had been tasked to initiate a survey for demarcation of riverbed, but it had failed to determine the limits of the river and other streams in the district.

Mr Wasil constituted a committee to look into the matter.

POWER OUTAGE: Lal Qila Maidan tehsil chairman Ashraf Salar on Friday demanded of Peshawar Electric Supply Company to take notice of over 15 hours of power outages in Maidan.

Talking to reporters, he said majority of water supply schemes were dysfunctional due to power outages. He said residents would protest if prolonged power outage were not stopped.

Published in Dawn, December 16th, 2023