Three parties agree to seat adjustment formula in K-P

PPP, ANP, JUI-F to keep constituencies already won in 2018 elections

PESHAWAR:

Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Awami National Party (ANP), and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) have reached an initial understanding on seat adjustment in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for the next general elections, recognising each other’s right to fielding candidates on the seats already won by them.

The parties laid the groundwork for a political understanding at a meeting at the Bacha Khan Center in Peshawar on Wednesday. At the meeting, Senator Haji Hidayatullah, Central Culture Secretary Khadim Hussain and Syed Masoom Shah represented the ANP.

On the other hand, former PPP provincial president Zahir Ali Shah, former K-P speaker Karamatullah Chagharmati, Provincial Information Secretary Amjad Afridi, Malik Tehmash and Misbahuddin also present during the talks.

The initial agreement paints a clear picture: parties get to keep the constituencies they won or remained the runners-up in the 2018 elections. “All the three parties would retain their seats they won in the 2018 elections,” said a source, while confirming the outcome of the meeting.

“On those seats which ANP, PPP and JUI-F failed to win would be left to the runner-up party,” the source said, adding that on the remaining seats Quami Watan Party (QWP) and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) would be contacted.

At the meeting, the PPP and the ANP decided that formula agreed by the two parties would also apply to the JUI-F. “It has also been decided that the demand of the JUI-F for considering the result of the local bodies elections in the formula] will also be considered, the source said.

Further negotiation would be done in this regard,” the sources continued. He added that the nomination papers would be submitted by candidates from all parties, amid continuing negotiations on the seat adjustment. “All the parties will support the candidate decided through seat-adjustment.”

According to the sources, further negotiations would be held between PPP and JUI-F delegations most probably at Mufti Mahmood Markez in Peshawar on Thursday (today) after which the agreement would be made public.