JI to go solo in former FATA districts

JI's Mushtaq Ahmed says the party could not reach a consensus with a MMA

PESHAWER: The Jamat-e-Islami (JI) announced that the party will contest elections on 12 seats of the former federally administered tribal areas, now merged with Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, without the Mutahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA), as the two parties could not reach a consensus on the distribution of seats.

“We will contest the elections in the newly formed districts without MMA,” JI provincial chief Mushtaq Ahmad said in his message to party workers while appearing live on party’s official Facebook page on Friday.

After the K-P-Fata merger, the government announced that local bodies elections for Fata will be held in October, while elections in Fata for the K-P provincial assembly will take place by April 2019.



Trying to pacify party workers annoyed over the party’s alliances and seat adjustments, Mushtaq stated that during the last decade JI has emerged as a powerful party and its influence cannot be ignored.

“I know that you will not be able to contest elections on a number of constituencies due to alliances with other parties but let me ensure you that JI candidates are contesting 2018 elections on 90 per cent of the constituencies, where JI has enough political influence,” he said.

Mushtaq added that JI candidates, under the umbrella of MMA, are contesting elections on 37 K-P Assembly and 10 National Assembly seats.

Talking about the JI position in erstwhile Fata, he claimed that the party had emerged as a powerful entity and exerts political influence. He added that they were expecting good results from there in the upcoming polls.



He revealed that MMA leadership had not reached consensus over 12 seats formerly part of Fata.

Talking about the importance of MMA, Mushtaq said the party had worked for the establishment of MMA for two long years and the workers have to make efforts to make the alliance a success.

“Areas where JI leaders are not contesting the polls, JI workers have to support the MMA candidates,” Mushtaq directed party workers, adding, that although JI has worked a lot in those areas to mobilise the public, however, owing to MMA alliance, JI candidates will not able to contest the elections from those constituencies.

“We have to offer every sacrifice for our collective benefit,” the JI provincial told the workers. “You have to fully participate in the election campaign and have to work to ensure the win of the MMA candidates.”

The JI leader also directed women candidates to initiate a door-to-door election campaign to mobilise women to fully participate in the election and cast their vote in favour of MMA to change the tradition of hereditary politics in the country.