ISLAMABAD March 17: The Jamaat-i-Islami has expressed its reservations about the government’s claim to hold fair and free polls in October in the absence of what it called “an independent election commission.”

Speaking at a news conference after a meeting with an exploratory mission of the European Union on Sunday, JI Chief Qazi Hussain Ahmed reiterated the demand made at the recently held meeting of the All Parties Conference that a consensus national interim government be put in place to ensure that the polls were free, fair and transparent.

“In an atmosphere, where President has already declared his wish to remain in power even after polls, no one can believe that the regime will not interfere and try to get results of its choice,” he added.

When asked to comment on the condition of graduation for contesting the polls and the reservation of women’s seats in the assemblies, he said no individual could be allowed to amend the constitution, even if it was allowed by the Supreme Court, as the apex court had no power to do so.

Mr Ahmed said he had told the EU team that the National Reconstruction Bureau, despite the appointment of the election commissioner, was still making announcements about the elections and that the CEC had emerged to be a controversial man as the chief justice when the bar council had denied him a farewell on his retirement.

Replying to a question, the JI chief said Majlis-i-Amal, replacing the defence council of religious parties, would contest the polls as an alliance and a meeting of all parties’ heads would approve its constitution and constitute a parliamentary board in the first week of April.

The Jamaat team that met the EU delegation consisted of Prof Ghafoor Ahmed, former ISI chief Gen Hameed Gul, foreign affairs adviser Mirza Nasim Anwar Baig, NWFP JI Deputy Chief Dr Mohammad Saed, Deputy Secretary-General Khalid Rahman, Asif Luqman Qazi (elder son of Qazi Hussain Ahmed), think tank Dr Tariq Jan and Information Secretary Mansoor Jafer.