LAHORE: The newly formed political party of banned outfit Jamaatud Dawa (JuD), the Milli Muslim League (MML), has apparently distanced itself from its candidate soon after the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) issued a notice to Sheikh Yaqub contesting the NA-120 by-polls.
MML spokesman Tabish Qayyum said the party was only supporting an independent candidate who had no link with the party; however, “we have called a consultative meeting of our shura which would review the ECP notice to Sh Yaqub. However, we respect the decision of the ECP. ”
Tabish’s reaction came after the ECP, on Thursday, categorically stated that the MML is neither registered with it nor it has any legal status and clarified that Sheikh Yaqub is contesting by-polls as an independent candidate.
The ECP directed the returning officer concerned to issue notice to Sh Yaqub and direct him not to use the name of the MML; otherwise, a strict action will be taken against him for violating the code of conduct. The returning officer has issued a notice to Sh Yaqub in this regard.
JuD launched the MML on August 7 and appointed Saifullah Khalid, a religious scholar and longtime official of the group, as the president of the party.
The United States had offered a $10 million reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of JuD’s founder Hafiz Saeed while the government of Pakistan had placed him under house arrest earlier this year.
At the time of its launch, MML leaders had said that the party would not have a direct link with the Hafiz Saeed-led JuD.
On the other hand, electioneering for Sh Yaqub from the platform of MML is in full swing in NA-120 and the party has opened its offices at Laxmi Chowk, Islampura and Temple Road.
The banners supporting Yaqub have been put up in NA-120 and they are not less in number than potential candidates like that of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) Yasmin Rashid or Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) candidate Kulsoom Nawaz.
The MML has designated many officer bearers for organised campaign for Sh Yaqub; the party workers have started a door-to-door campaign across the city. MML workers, carrying banners of Sh Yaqub, orgainsed a motorbike rally on the Independence Day.
Muhammad Adnan, the MML sector in-charge at Temple Road campaign office, said that they have launched a door-to-door campaign on the direction of party leadership. “About 50 to 60 party workers in every union council of the NA-120 have been designated for this purpose.”
Besides this, lunch and dinner are arranged for party workers at the campaign office, he added. He said: “Our purpose of entering the political arena is to serve the humanity without any discrimination of religion, caste and creed.” He further claimed: “Oppressed people in NA-120 are supporting us wholeheartedly.”
When asked why MML workers are targeting the whole city instead of just focusing on NA-120, Adnan said the purpose of orgainsing the rally through the entire city is to introduce the MML before the 2018 general elections, which MML would contest with full vigour. “The by-polls in NA-120 are just the beginning and training for the MML workers,” he concluded.
