LAKKI MARWAT, Dec 9: The district amir of Jamaat-i-Islami, Prof Sher Ghulam, on Sunday announced that he would withdraw his candidature for NA-27 and PF-74 (Lakki Marwat-I) as the party’s central Majlis-i-Shura had decided to boycott the general election.

He was speaking at a meeting of the JI’s district Shura. The meeting was attended by Sabz Ali Khan Naveed, Maulana Sadullah Khan, Matiullah Khan, Malik Latifullah Khan, Maulana Fazlur Rehman, Abdul Samad Khan and others here.

Speaking on the occasion, Sher Ghulam termed the upcoming elections a fraud with the nation. He called upon the people and political parties to boycott the election as participation in the election would legitimise what he called unconstitutional steps of President Pervez Musharraf.

“The judiciary is under virtual siege and deposed judges are under house arrest and the government has given a free hand to law-enforcement agencies to launch barbaric actions against lawyers, journalists, workers of political parties and people from civil society.

“In the present circumstances it will be unwise to take part in the election,” the Jamaat leader said.