UPPER DIR: Jamaat-iIslami provincial chief Professor Mohammad Ibrahim Khan has claimed that his was the only party, which gave honour and respect to its members without discrimination.

He also insisted no one could secure his party`s office by using money or other shortcuts.

Professor Ibrahim said this during a meeting of party workers at the district council hall here the other day.

The meeting was organised in connection with fresh voting for the nomination of district and tehsils nazims and naib nazims of Upper Dir district.

Professor Ibrahim said his party had a proper mechanism for intra-party elections unlike other political and religious parties.

He said Sirajul Haq, member of a poor family, rose to the position of the JI central emir only because he`d made sacrifices for and contributions to the cause of the party.

The JI leader asked other parties to follow his party by holding intra-party elections and giving respect to their workers.In the May 30 local body elections, JI had bagged most of general seats in Upper Dir district council i.e. 22 of the total of 32.

It had also won majority of councilor seats in four tehsils, including Dir, Brawal, Wari and Kalkot. The JI has seven of the total of 13 councilors in Dir, four of five in Brawal, five of nine in Wari and three of five in Kalkot.

Its district shura (council) had named its candidates for district and tehsils nazim slots on June 13 but the provincial and central leadership ordered the cancelation of nominations due to objections by workers.

The district leadership was told to let its 560 members, including newly-elected district and tehsil councilors, name candidates by ballot.

The voting took place at the district council hall in Dir here on Monday night under the supervision of JI leaders Professor Ibrahim, Shabbir AhmadKhanandIqbalKhalil.

Insiders claimed major contenders for the district nazim slot were JI district emir Sahibzada Fasihullah and Hanifullah Khan. Correspondent