ABBOTTABAD/NOWSHERA, Jan 24: Jamaat-i-Islami secretary general Liaquat Baloch has urged the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) not to take a solo flight on issues of national importance and demanded reversal of its decision about increase in fee to be deposited by candidates along with nomination papers.

He was speaking as chief guest at a reference arranged by Abbottabad chapter of the JI to pay tribute to party’s former amir late Qazi Hussain Ahmed here at Jalal Baba Auditorium on Thursday.

Mr Baloch said that the JI had been given the election symbol of ‘Tarazu’ (scale) by the ECP. He said that he could not rule out possibility of electoral alliance with Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaf or any other such party. However, he said that no electoral alliance would be made with any coalition party in the present government.

On this occasion, people from different walks of life paid tribute to late Qazi Hussain Ahmed. Former deputy speaker National Assembly Sardar Mohammad Yaqoob, Ali Afzal Khan Jadoon, Ali Asghar Khan, PPP district president Gulzar Abbasi and several JI leaders attended the reference.

Mr Baloch reiterated his party’s demand for independent election commission and called for holding the next election in Karachi under the supervision of army. He said that Muttahida Qaumi Movement and Pakistan People’s Party were responsible for unrest in Karachi.

In Nowshera, a condolence reference to pay tribute to late Qazi Hussain Ahmed was held on Thursday where people from different walks of life remembered services of the JI leader and termed him “Mard-i-Mujahid”. They said that Qazi played a vital role in uniting Muslims under the banner of Muslim brotherhood.

JI amir Syed Munawar Hassan was the chief guest at the reference, which was also attended by JI provincial amir Prof Ibrahim, Qazi Asif and district amir Merajuddin.

Mr Hassan said that Qazi Hussain had played vital role in different movements of the Muslim world and always tried to forge unity among different groups of Muslims.

Talking to media persons, the JI amir made it clear that Jamaat would contest the coming election with own election symbol of ‘Tarazu’. However, he said that negotiations with other political parties were in progress.