Srinagar, Sep 23 (UNI) A senior leader of the Jamaat-e-Islami Ghulam, Qadir Wani on Monday said that the party is in talks with the central government for lifting of ban on Jel.
Former Chief of Jamaat-e-Islami Jammu and Kashmir Wani said that JeI wants to address all its issues through the democratic process of the country.
“The talks between the Jamaat panel and the central government are going on and have not reached yet to its logical conclusion”, the banned JeI leader said.
The central government had declared the JeI as an “unlawful association” and banned the party in 2019.
Wani said JeI is a party that believes in the democratic system of the country and has participated in the elections since 1971.
He said the JeI has been banned for the past six years and its Majlis-e-Shoura (highest decision making body of JeI) have decided to form a panel who will talk to the central government so that the ban on the party could be lifted.
The Senior leader said a front was formed in 1987 under the banner of Muslim United Front (MUF) and JeI played a constructive role in it.
“All the parties and likeminded people formed this front together and participated in the elections. But unfortunately, the ruling dispensation of that time did not allow the MUF to win the elections and committed unprecedented rigging resulting in one of the candidates identified as Mohammad Yousuf Shah becoming Syed Sallahudin (Hizbul Mujahideen chief) ”, he said.
Sallahudin is presently based in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK).
The former JeI leader said the party in protest did not participate in the elections that were held later.
He said JeI has decided to support the independent candidates during these elections so that their trust on the democratic system of the country could be given a practical shape.
“People should not think that participating in the elections is “JeI has not declared participation ,JeI has not declared haram” (forbidden),” he added.
Jamaat has almost fielded its ten former members as independent candidates in the Assembly election- that are being held after a gap of ten years. The Jamaat is also supporting several Independent candidates.