JUIF to boycott election of KP CM, speaker, deputy speaker

PESHAWAR: Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl (JUIF) leader Akram Khan Durrani on Wednesday said that his party members would not take part in the election of speaker and deputy speaker of the provincial assembly and that of the chief minister.

Talking to the media here after taking the oath of the house, he said the party would sit on the opposition benches in the national and provincial assemblies.

“The JUIF will not be part of any strategy of the Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz and Pakistan People’s Party,” said while referring to the election of the slots mentioned above.

He was pained at the situation that arose during the oath-taking in the KP Assembly. “It was an unprecedented situation and the first time in the province. The norms and customs of our province were trampled,” said Durrani who was the chief minister when the Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal was from 2002 to 2007.

Elaborating on his statement, Durrani said despite political and ideological differences in the past, there used to be mutual respect which was not seen on the first day of the present assembly proceedings.

“Today, the KP Assembly was wearing the picture of a bus stand or a fish market,” he said while lamenting over the disorder that was seen in the legislature which had a maiden session, convened to take oath from the members elected in the recent general elections.

Highly disturbed by the ruckus, Durrani said the house was disrespected so much that no one could even think of coming to assembly.

The JUIF leader feared more chaos in the province in the coming day due to the weak financial position. He foresaw that people would face inflation in the days to come. Durrani said that the results of the general elections were not acceptable to the JUIF.

“Our party leadership has decided to stage a protest against the poll results both inside and outside the assemblies,” added the JUIF leader who had served as the opposition leader in the KP Assembly in the past.