Balochistan’s political parties show off candidates

BNP-A issues tickets to the candidates of their party following a parliamentary meeting held with Mir Israr Zehri.

QUETTA:

Political parties across Balochistan announced their candidates for the 2013 elections on Tuesday.

Balochistan National Party Awami (BNP-A) issued tickets to the candidates of their party following a parliamentary meeting held with Mir Israr Zehri in the chair on Tuesday.

Balochistan National Party

Balochistan National Party’s Parliamentary Board also announced its candidates for general elections following a parliamentary session headed by Dr Malik Baloch. The session was conducted in Karachi where they reviewed the law and order situation and candidates’ applications.



The board finally announced its candidates over eight national assembly and 24 provincial assembly candidates for upcoming elections.

Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party

Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP) is contesting 35 National Assembly and 73 Provincial Assembly seats in the May 11 general elections.

The names of 23 candidates standing for the Balochistan Assembly and 7 for the National Assembly from Balochistan were also announced. The PkMAP has been allotted tree as their election symbol.

“We had boycotted the 2008 general elections only because they were conducted under Pervez Musharraf’s dictatorship, we have made so many sacrifices for democracy,” said former Senator and Secretary Information of PkMAP Raza Muhammad Raza.

Jamaat- e-Islami

The chief of the provincial chapter of Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Abdul Mateen Akhundzada said that his party is participating in elections in order to get Balochistan its rights.



He expressed these views in a press conference held at Quetta Press Club on Tuesday.

Akhunzada says Balochistan has been deprived of its rights, which is evident by rampant poverty as the corrupt government and their alliances have looted the wealth of the province and left it on the brink of destruction.

He added that in the upcoming election people should give their vote to those who are morally good and honest for the sake of change, adding that holding free and fair elections is the need of the hour.

He was of the view that the arrival of Akhtar Mengal in Pakistan is a positive step, saying he would favour the demands of landlords.

“We are contacting political and religious parties for seat adjustments,” he said.

JI announced it will contest 11 seats for the National Assembly and 30 for the provincial assembly.

Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam

Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F) has announced the names of its candidates for the province’s electoral battle on 14 national and 51 provincial seats.

JUI-F’s Naib Amir Senator Hafiz Hamdullah accompanied by Mufti Abdul Sattar made the announcement at a press conference at Quetta Press Club on Sunday.

Hafiz Hamdullah said that names of candidates for women’s and minority seats would be announced later, adding that the party had also decided on seat adjustment at the national level.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 27^th, 2013.