TIMERGARA, Feb, 26: The Jamaat-i-Islami, Lower Dir, leaders on Tuesday threatened to besiege the offices of the local authorities over appointments to health and technical education departments allegedly on political grounds.

JI candidate for NA-34 Sahibzada Yaqub Khan, candidate for PK 94 Muzaffar Syed, district general secretary Jehan Badshah and others told reporters here that many people were recently appointed to health and technical education departments without prior advertisements and therefore, these appointments were illegal.

They also said the appointments had been made in violation of the Election Commission’s restriction.

The JI leaders said if the authorities didn’t address their reservations on the matter, they would agitate and besiege their offices. “We are not against giving people jobs but that should not happen at a time when the elections are round the corner,” Sahibzada Yaqub said, adding the exercise was meant to influence voters.

The JI leaders demanded immediate cancellation of the said appointments. Also in the day, several Pakistan People’s Party workers announced to join Jamaat-i-Islami in Mera Khall area of Lower Dir district.

Among them were Bazir Khan, Ghulam Syed, Hamidullah, Habibullah, Asghar Khan, Samiullah, Jafar Hussain, Sher Bacha and Yasir Khan.

These workers made the announcement during a function, where JI candidate for NA-33 Sahibzada Tariqullah, candidate for PK-93 Malik Behram Khan and party’s chief in Khall Hafiz Noorul Haq were in attendance.

They said the people were sick of the current rulers due to rampant corruption and bad governance and would hopefully vote JI to power for their service.

Meanwhile, a local NGO, Deehi Ijtemai Taraqiati Social Workers’ Council, on Tuesday organised a rally to show sympathy with Hazara community in Quetta over the recent killing of its members.

Carrying banners and placards and shouting slogans against killers, people from all walks of life, including youths and sportsmen, took part in the rally.

Head of the NGO Akbar Khan told protesters that the people of a particular community had been targeted in parts of the country.

He added that the rulers had no more right to stay in power.

“It is the state’s responsibility to protect all citizens and their properties but there is no one to stop killings of innocent people in the country,” he said.

Mr Akbar asked youths to come forward and play active role for promotion of peace and tolerance.

Later, the NGO organised a hockey match during which players and spectators observed one-minute silence to remember victims of the recent Quetta killings.