Jamaat Islami's Facing Uphill Struggle To Turn Its Support Base Into Voters

Muhammad Faheem

The hullabaloo around the win and loss of Pakistan Tehrik Insaf and Pakistan Democratic Movement in the recent by-polls has overshadowed the electoral performance of Jamaat Islami (JI).

JI which has till the recently had played a very crucial role in Pakistan politics; however, has failed to make it marks in the consecutive elections since 2008. Though the party remained a part of KP's ruling coalition from 2008-13; however, it has less to do with the JI's performance; rather, than the number game in the assembly.

JI had fielded its canadiates of three National Assembly seats from Peshawar, Mardan and Charsadda districts; however, party's candidates have performed pathetically.

On NA-22, Mardan, JI's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa general secretary Abdul Wasi polled 8239 votes, while Mujeebur Rehman, party's candidate for NA-24 Charsadda secured 7883 votes and Muhammad Asalm bagged 3816 votes in NA-31 Peshawar.

Party's three candidates managed to poll 19938 votes, which were 12315 votes less than the ANP's Haji Ghulam Bilour. Mr Bilour in turn was the runner up the candidate to poll least number of votes.

Interestingly, JI has the potential to stage major gathering in any city or district of the country. At the same time , a large number of people believe JI's as clean as compared to other parties; however, party has not been able to translate this into electoral support.

Abdullah Jan, a senior political analyst said that JI's support base was traditionally centered in Dir, Buner, Chitral and parts of southern KP, which elected party's candidate. However, Mr Jan said that the party was even losing ground in these strongholds to other parties.

He said that JI enjoyed public support and party affiliated Alkhidmat Foundation was at the forefront of relief activities in the country and even Karachi people still remember city nazim Niamatullah Khan.

“It is up to the party as to how to translate this support into votes,” Mr Jan said.

Dr Zarmeena Baloch, assistant professor at the Shaheed Benazir Bhutto University Peshawar said that PTI chief was known as social worker. He said that Shaukat Khanum has made the Mr Khan into major philanthropist. Similarly, she said that that JI had Al Khidmat Foundation is also known for the its relief work and large number of people donated to. However, she said that it was still not translating into votes, which was a cause of concerns for JI.

She said that JI needed to innovate and rebrand itself.“Al Khidmat relief work is not advertised as much as PTI does with its activities,” she said.

In addition to this, JI needed to work on its overhauling its organizational structure.

On the other hand, Al Khidmat Foundation KP President Khalid Waqas Chamknai said that his organization has nothing to do with politics.“We only believe in public service,” he said.

Mr Chamkani said that their relief activities were never aimed attracting voters to the party.“Despite our ideological linage, this platform was not for politics,” he said.

In addition to this, he said that it was not correct to say that Imran Khan's vote was due to his social work.
Despite his Shaukat Khanum and Namal University, Imran Khan was alone in the National Assembly, he said.

Besides, he said that the his place in media, his way of doing politics plays a crucial role in attracting voters and his electoral victories.

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