UPPER DIR, Nov 29: Barrister Mohammad Islam, who was denied a National Assembly ticket from Upper Dir by his PPP, submitted his nomination papers on Thursday as an independent candidate.

He claimed that the party workers supported him.

He called a meeting in Dir which was attended by a large number of party workers, said a press release.

Addressing the meeting, local activists Salimur Rehman, Akbar Khan, Javed Roghani, Malik Salihmat Khan, Maulvi Noor Islam and Malik Akbar Khan said the party had been weakened due to dictatorial attitude of Najmuddin Khan.

They said the party workers had forced Barrister Islam to contest the election in the greater interest of the PPP.

The speakers said that internal differences would benefit the Jamaat-i-Islami .

They demanded that the central and provincial leadership should intervene and save the party.

They warned that if the party suffered any loss in the National Assembly and three provincial assembly seats, Mr Najmuddin would be held responsible for it.