PESHAWAR: Jamaat-i-Islami has announced one-month membership campaign to form its youth wing initially in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the Federally Administered Tribal Areas in order to step up efforts against corruption in the country.

Speaking at a press conference at Peshawar Press Club on Friday, JI provincial chief Mushtaq Ahmed Khan said that the drive for registration of youth would start from Saturday (today) and end on March 20.

He said that the party had set a target of 500,000 members, of which 100,000 would be from Fata, and the entire process would be online. “One can easily apply for the membership by dialing 9291 via mobile phone and an automated voice message would be sent in response to confirm the membership,” he said.

The youth wing, he said, will be in addition to the JI’s other sister organisations like Islami Jamiat Talba, Jamiat Talba Islam (in seminaries) and Shabab-i-Milli, which is also for youth.

Flanked by JI youth wing provincial president Mohammad Abrar Akbar, JI Fata youth president Shah Jahan Afridi and provincial secretary information Mohammad Iqbal, the party’s provincial chief said that on completion of the membership drive elections would be held to elect youth wing office-bearers.

Party’s KP chief says it will be in addition to other units

About procedure of the campaign, Mr Khan said that JI workers would launch an awareness campaign and ensure direct contact with people in different localities across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to register at least 500 youth in each union council.

He said that JI was using information technology for the first time in the membership process to save precious time of people.

He said that youth could play a significant role in bringing a positive change in the society to join hands against corruption, but they needed to be organised properly.

Mr Khan counted a number of problems being faced by the youth and said that it was duty of the government to provide basic facilities like free healthcare services, education, employment and sports grounds to them.

He said that mobile teams (workers) would also visit educational institutions and set up camps to have access to people of different areas.

The youth, he said, could play an effective role in carrying out welfare activities and development schemes.

He said that after Khyber Pakhtunkhwa the campaign would also be started in other provinces.

Published in Dawn, February 20th, 2016