UPPER DIR, Dec 23: Defying their party’s decision to boycott the elections, a group of four Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) leaders have decided to take part in them. This, according to a senior leader of the party, has put the JI in an awkward position.

Sirajul Haq, a former provincial minister and JI’s provincial chief, said at a rally in Dir bazaar on Sunday that the “renegade” leaders’ decision to take part in the elections had created problems for the Jamaat. He said the news about a rift in the JI had brought a bad name to “the party which was endeavouring for the enforcement of Sharia.”

Mr Haq was in Dir to convince the panel of four dissidents to stay away from the Jan 8 polls as a protest against Musharraf’s policies.

He pointed out that all the top leaders of JI, including Qazi Hussain Ahmad, Munawar Hassan and Liaqat Baloch, had withdrawn their nomination

papers in line with the party decision to boycott the elections, but a few defiant leaders, who happened to be the relatives of local JI leaders Bahram Khan and Fasihullah, had decided to violate the party decision. The JI members who are likely to contest the elections include two former MPAs, Fareed Khan and Hayat Khan. A member of the influential Sahibzada family, Sahibzada Sibghatullah, is also contesting for NA-33 Upper Dir.

“The media, (other) parties and people taunt us that our candidates are contesting elections in Upper Dir despite our announcement that we will be boycotting them,” Mr Haq said at the meeting.

He said a committee would meet the dissident leaders to persuade them to stick to the party decision.

He said the group could be expelled from the party if they did not pull out of the race.

The office bearers of the local chapter of the party also expressed disgust for the contestants and urged the workers not to cast their votes for them. However, the panel was adamant on contesting the elections.

The JI has given December 25 as a deadline for the withdrawal from the contest.

“If they (the dissidents) don’t believe in the JI ideology — that is enforcement of Sharia and, promoting Prophet’s (PBUH) sunnah they should leave our party and join the PPP, ANP, PML or others,” said Mr Haq, referring to the dissident leaders.