Party politics: PTI seeks JUI-F’s support for 2018 elections

Insiders say PTI district nazim might lose his seat if JUI-F does not help

DI KHAN: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf has sought support from Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl to safeguard its position in Tank for the 2018 general elections.

Although Tank district has been a stronghold of JUI-F, PTI managed to bag a large number of seats in the local government elections
in 2015.

During the 2015 polls, PTI’s Dawar Kundi clinched the MNA seat while his brother, Mustafa Kundi, was elected district nazim. JUI-F was only able to bag a tehsil nazim seat. However, it is gaining back its popularity and giving PTI a run for
its money.

In the Tank district government, there are 16 general councillor seats and eight reserved seats. Of the 24 seats in the district council, PTI holds 18 seats while the rest are with JUI-F.



Insiders familiar with the matter told The Express Tribune, a group of PTI members are turning against their party. This has fanned speculations that PTI’s Mustafa, the district nazim, might have to give up his seat as the JUI-F is against him.

Seeking assistance

On Monday, PTI leaders in Tank held a news conference and asked PTI Chairperson Imran Khan to intervene in the matter. “They are not only hurting PTI’s image, but also reducing PTI’s hold in the district government in Tank,” Najibullah Mehsud, a PTI member, said. “We request their party membership should be terminated.”

Dawar visited Islamabad to meet JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rahman and urged him to help secure
Mustafa’s seat.

Dawar is believed to have told the JUI-F supremo he will not contest the 2018 elections and will support JUI-F in the next general elections.

Saeed Shah, a Tank-based journalist, told The Express Tribune, “Some PTI members have developed differences over the budget. They only pressurise the district nazim but there is no imminent danger to his seat.”

Published in The Express Tribune, January 28^th,  2016.