Pakistan News

JI Peshawar president Sabir Awan steps down over NA-4 defeat

October 28, 2017

PESHAWAR: In the wake of the Jamaat-e-Islami’s (JI) defeat in the NA-4 by-election, the party’s Peshawar president, Sabir Hussain Awan, stepped down from his post on Saturday over “moral grounds”.

Awan told The Express Tribune that as his party was defeated in the by-election, it was his moral obligation to resign from the position.

“I am probably not the right person for the post and hopefully somebody better will come forward to head the party in Peshawar,” he added.

Awan has sent his resignation to the party’s provincial council.

He refuted rumours that he was forced to resign. “It was my own decision,” he maintained.

PTI seeks JI’s support to replace NA opposition leader

On Thursday, the PTI succeeded in retaining the National Assembly seat. Its candidate Arbab Amir Ayub bagged 45,734 votes, followed by ANP’s Khusdil Khan with 24,874 votes and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s Nasir Khan Musazai with 24,790 votes.

Asad Gulzar Khan of the Pakistan Peoples Party secured 13,200 votes while Tehreek-e-Labbaik’s Allama Dr Mohammad Shafique Ameeni bagged 9,935 and JI’s Wasil Farooq Jan 7,668. In the general elections 2013, Jan had secured the third position.

Awan said his party had run an effective election campaign but it was all a game of money and government resources.

“We don’t bag votes using illegal means like bribing voters,” he added. “Hopefully, our party will be more prepared for the next general elections.”

Coming in sixth in the NA-4 by-poll, the JI performed even worse than the newly formed religio-political party, the Tehreek-Labbaik Pakistan.

The party’s share of votes dropped from 11.9% in the 2013 general elections to only 5.7% in the recent by-poll.

Sources within the JI say that some members are unhappy with the party’s decision to remain a partner in the coalition government in the province.

The post JI Peshawar president Sabir Awan steps down over NA-4 defeat appeared first on The Express Tribune.

Source: Tribune News | JI Peshawar president Sabir Awan steps down over NA-4 defeat

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