LAHORE: The Jamaat-i-Islami leaders seem to be realising that mere association with the party cannot secure them any electoral success even at local level and have begun choosing election symbols of either popular political parties or are contesting as independents in the forthcoming local polls.

This is evident at least in Punjab, particularly in the provincial metropolis, where JI arakeen (party members with voting rights), district level leaders and even sons of senior central leaders are seen going for this option to get elected at UC level.

Here are a few examples. Khaleeq Butt, a party member and district level leader, is contesting from UC-64, Krishannagar areas of Lahore, as an independent for the office of chairman on a symbol of Hut, while another old guard, Malik Muneer, is in the run from the adjacent union council on the symbol of the ruling PML-N, Tiger.

JI central general secretary Liaquat Baloch’s son Ahmed Salman is hoping to become vice chairman of UC-216, Muslim Town, on the election symbol of opposition PTI: (cricket) Bat.

Faisal Piracha, a son of Dr Farid Piracha, is wishing to get elected just as a general councilor in Ward 2 of UC-259, Azmir Town, also on the election symbol of the PML-N.

This race for getting election symbol other than of the own party becomes more significant in the wake of the JI’s proud announcement before the 2013 general election that it would, after 20 years, revive its traditional election symbol – Scale – by contesting future polls on it, putting an end to the politics of alliances.

The announcement is virtually being reversed in the name of what the JI leadership says adjustment.

“We’ve fielded 52 candidates for UC chairmanship. Of them, five are contesting on the election symbol of the PTI and three of the PML-N,” Mian Maqsood, the Lahore chapter emir who is going to take oath as Punjab emir of the party in a day or two, told Dawn by phone.

“We’ve done this under the local adjustment formula after the central leadership empowered local chapters to decide their own (local) election strategy.”

During the previous two local elections held in 2001 and 2005, the JI had been leading the PML-N and PPP in Lahore making both these popular parties support its nominee, Hafiz Salman Butt, in the race for district nazim from the defunct platform of Awami Jamhoori Ittehad against Mian Amer Mahmood, then candidate of former dictator Pervez Musharraf.

In the first phase of local polls in Punjab to be held in 12 districts on Oct 31, the JI could field only 106 candidates for UC chairmanship, 114 for vice chairmanship and 912 for general councilors.

Published in Dawn, October 21st, 2015

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