JI inclined to polls boycott

ISLAMABAD—Spokesman Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan, Amirul Azim Wednesday said prevailing mode of his party leadership is tilted towards boycott of the election but a final decision to this effect would be taken by Wednesday meeting of Mutahidda Majlis-e-Amal.
Talking to PTV in a telephonic interview from the venue of JI Sura meeting Amirul Azeem said, free and fair election is key to promote the democratic culture. He said the prevailing conditions are not conducive for free and fair elections.
To a question, he said that Maulana Fazalur Rehman is of the opinion that boycott of the election in isolation would not be a wise decision. He however expressed the hope that MMA leadership would succeed to evolve a joint strategy in this regard in its Wednesday meeting.
Amir Jamaat-e-Islami and MMA President Qazi Hussain Ahmed has said that the parties contesting the up-coming polls will only provide justification to the military government and measures taken under Provisional Constitutional Order (PCO).
Addressing the Jamaat’s central Majlis-e-Shura (Consecutive Body) in Mansoorah here on Tuesday, Qazi labeled the elections under the rule of emergency as circus. He blamed the rulers for sabotaging the judiciary. The verdicts of judges who took oath under PCO can never conform to the Constitution and law, he added.
The JI Amir said, “The emergency in fact aimed at getting rid of the judiciary, which passes verdicts in complete accordance with law and constitution.” He accused Present General Musharraf for putting in place the judiciary that serves his interests.
Jamat-e-Islami Chief Qazi Hussian Ahmed demanded of the government to lift emergency and reinstate the deposed judges of superior courts. Addressing the meeting of central executive committee of JI, he said that all parties of APDM wanted to boycott the upcoming general elections and to launch protest compaign till restoration of judiciary and formation of an independent Election Commission.
“Contesting polls by all political parties will provide the logic of acceptence of PCO and Emergency “, he added. Qazi Hussain Ahmed said the situation in Swat is deplorable as the things of basic need had exhausted in the area and the people afre facing a lot of difficulties due to curfew. He demanded for ceasing operation in Swat area as soon as possible.
Jama’at Islami (JI) Ameer Qazi Hussein Ahmed said Tuesday that the coming elections under the rule of emergency would be nothing more than a farce and the contesting parties will only provide justification to the army government and measures taken under PCO.
Addressing the JI central Majlis-e-Shura (Consultative Body) in Mansoorah, he said the rulers have ransacked the judiciary and the verdicts of judges who took oath under PCO can never conform to the constitution and law.
Qazi Hussein believes, ‘The emergency in fact aimed at getting rid of the judiciary—which passes verdicts in complete accordance with law and constitution—and putting in place the judiciary serving their interests.’
The parties included in APDM are of the stance that under the prevalent conditions, a campaign should be waged after boycotting the elections.
The All Parties Democratic Movement (APDM) would hold its meeting to decide about boycott of elections or otherwise here on Thursday (tomorrow) as four-day ultimatum by the opposition alliance for withdrawal of emergency rule is to expire today (Wednesday).
According to detailed, on November 24 APDM announced its conditional boycott of elections and gave deadline of four days to the government for restoration of the Constitution, release to all detained political workers and leaders and lifting of ban on media.—Agencies