JI repudiates Siraj's resignation saying rigging failed party not him

LAHORE: Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Ameer Sirajul Haq's resignation has unanimously been turned down by the party’s central consultative council on Saturday, absolving him of the party’s failure in the general elections.

Expressing “full confidence” in Siraj, JI Spokesperson Qaiser Sharif said, the consultative body dismissed the resignation. He said the senior politician would continue performing his duties as the JI chief in accordance with the party's constitution.

Qaiser said Siraj would shortly address the central consultative council's meeting and hold a press conference later in the day.

He added that the JI failed to yield better results in the elections not because of Siraj but due to rigging, adding that the party rejected the February 8 poll results and demanded the chief election commissioner, Sikandar Sultan Raja, step down immediately.

After facing setbacks in the February 8 general elections as the JI failed to show any electoral progress, Siraj announced to step down from the party office on February 12.

The chief of the politico-religious party had tendered his resignation citing “failures to get the targeted electoral results”.

The Siraj-led party has failed to win a single National Assembly seat, however, it grabbed five provincial seats.