Politicking: JUI-F lay groundwork for electoral strategy

District wings asked to submit proposals for alliances in the province.

PESHAWAR:

Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl’s (JUI-F) provincial chapter has asked the party’s district offices to submit proposals to identify potential allies for seat adjustments across Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.

The provincial general council, which met on Monday, decided to keep the party’s doors open for any political force save Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman also attended the meeting.

“None of the party leaders from the 25 provincial districts and tribal areas mentioned PTI for seat adjustments,” said JUI-F’s provincial spokesperson Abdul Jalil Jan. He added the district offices have been asked to inform the party’s provincial secretariat in writing about their preferences for seat adjustments within eight to 10 days.

“The provincial leadership will then decide based on the recommendations. We are in contact with other political parties and our doors are open to all,” said Jan.

During the meeting, a provincial parliamentary board headed by JUI-F’s provincial chief Maulana Sheikh Amanullah was also constituted. Participants decided that the district wings will act as advisory electoral boards in accordance with party guidelines.



The central general council will meet in Lahore on February 23 and 24 to decide on an election strategy in light of the recommendations.

The Awami National Party (ANP) had previously hinted at forming an alliance with JUI-F for the upcoming general elections. Fazl, however, was quick to discard the possibility, saying his party considered itself an alternative to the ANP.

While the JUI-F is bent on expanding its electoral base in K-P, the party is concerned about losing support in the absence of the Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA). But in what was an apparent reference to Jamaat-e-Islami (JI), Fazl clarified on Sunday his party was capable of representing religious forces in the absence of other parties.

An alliance of PTI and JI could weigh heavily on JUI-F, which has tried to keep PTI at bay following a series of verbal attacks from both sides in the past few months.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 30^th, 2013.