Hafiz Saeed not to run in elections
lahore — Radical cleric Hafiz Saeed’s Jamat-ud-Dawah is fielding more than 200 candidates in the July 25 general election on national and provincial Assembly seats across the country even as the controversial leader has decided not to run for parliament.
Jamat-ud-Dawah (JuD) launched its political front Milli Muslim League (MML), but it has not been yet registered with the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).
With general elections approaching, the group decided to contest on the platform of a “dormant” political entity Allaha-u-Akbar Tehreek (AAT) registered with the ECP.
The JuD activists and sympathisers have taken the nomination papers from the ECP and are fielding their candidates on the platform of the AAT.
“MML president Saifullah Khalid and AAT chief Ehsan Bari have agreed to field joint candidates on the platform of ATT in the upcoming elections. Under the seat adjustment agreement, the MML will field more than 200 educated candidates. They will contest the elections on the AAT’s election symbol chair,” Ahmed Nadeem, an MML spokesperson, said. He said there are many political figures who have joined the MML and it has awarded them AAT tickets.
Asked if Saeed plans to run as a parliamentary candidate in this election, the spokesman said: “No ... Hafiz sahib has no such plans at the moment. The MML is taking part for the first time in the general elections and hopefully, we will make to parliament.” —