JI demands local govt polls be held under army’s supervision

Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Karachi chief Hafiz Naeemur Rehman has demanded that the local government elections in Karachi should be held under the supervision of the army.

Speaking at a press conference on Saturday, he claimed that the MQM-Pakistan and PPP were trying to run away from the polls.

The JI is going to hold the Karachi Declaration Convention on Sunday (today) at Bagh-e-Jinnah to unveil its future course of action and way forward to solve the burning issues of the city.

According to a statement issued by the party on Saturday, JI Karachi chief Naeemur Rehman will be delivering the keynote address at the convention.

A large number of people belonging to all walks of life were expected to attend the convention as the JI had concluded its publicity campaign for the event, said the statement. Arrangements had been finalised for the programme at the venue, including setting up a separate enclosure for women, it said, adding that other arrangements to facilitate the participants had also been made and a press gallery to facilitate media persons had been set up.

While campaigning for the event, Rehman appealed to the Karachiites to join the convention along with their families. He said the programme would be representing the aspirations of the citizens. The JI’s future course of action and timeline would also be announced at the event. The JI leader said the party had been struggling for the rights of Karachi and Karachiites for a long time; however, the local government elections to be held on January 15 would be a big turn in the journey of the JI’s Karachi Rights Movement.

Over 100 publicity camps and trucks were arranged in the city. The JI Karachi chief also visited several areas in the city to drum up support for the event.

He shed light in detail on the contribution of the JI for Karachi and Karachiites. A documentary featuring the measures taken for the progress and development of the city during the tenure of Nematullah Khan was also played at the camps.