JI to rely on its own for 95pc UCs in LG polls

The Jamaat-e-Islami’s Karachi chapter formally kicked off its campaign for the upcoming local government elections by holding a general worker convention at New MA Jinnah Road on Sunday.

A large number of party workers, as well as candidates for the posts of chairman, vice chairman and councillor for some 250 union councils in the city participated in the convention. People belonging to various fields of life, notables from neighbourhoods across the city, political activists, and a large number of women and children also turned up at the public meeting. JI’s candidates participating in the LG polls were also introduced on the occasion.

Addressing the participants, JI Karachi chief Hafiz Naeem ur Rehman said that all the available options in the political arena, except his party, have failed the city and its people. “JI is the only political force in Karachi that’s capable of putting the city back on the track of progress and development. Fortunately, the residents have realised who’s actually working for the city and who’s working for personal monetary gains and political point-scoring.”

Rehman said JI has fielded competent and honest candidates from across the city for the LG elections. “The victory of these candidates will ensure peace, progress and development in the city,” he said, adding that only an empowered local set-up will be able to deliver and address the issues of a mega city like Karachi.

He demanded that the Sindh government act upon the agreement it had signed with JI, following which the party had ended its 29-day-long sit-in outside the provincial assembly. Addressing the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), the administration, the police and other law enforcement agencies (LEAs), Rehman demanded taking appropriate steps to prevent the kind of law and order situation that was witnessed during the recent NA-240 by-poll.

He directed his party’s election candidates and workers to maximise their efforts to reach out to the public for ensuring votes in favour of the scales, the JI’s ballot symbol. He pointed out how JI had launched campaigns for the affected people of Bahria Town and other builders. He also pointed out the party’s activism for water and power supply, infrastructure and other pressing issues.

Talking about JI’s past, he compared the services of Abdul Sattar Afghani and Naimatullah Khan to the party’s opponents, who did nothing positive, but rather ruined the city for their own monetary and political gains.

He directed the female workers of the party to play their due role in educating women about the importance of casting votes in favour of the right candidates. JI leader Dr Osama Razi and others also addressed the event.

Separately, in a meeting with a group of journalists at the Idara Noor-e-Haq, Rehman said that only JI has the capability to change the fate of the city. “Analysis of data and statistics from the past several decades shows that no other party in the political arena is either interested or capable of taking any concrete step for the development and progress of the city.”

He said that this year JI will be contesting the LG elections under its own flag and symbol, adding that JI has opted for seat adjustment with other parties on some five per cent union councils in the city.

He demanded that the ECP, the LEAs and particularly the Rangers ensure maintaining law and order during the polls. “What happened during the by-election for NA-240 shouldn’t have happened.”