PPP, PML-N enter undeclared alliance in southern K-P

Partnership likely to leave JUI-F scrambling for votes.

PESHAWAR:

The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has entered into an undeclared alliance with Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) in two southern districts of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, posing a challenge for Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazal (JUI-F) in the upcoming polls.

According to sources, the parties have entered a seat adjustment agreement in Lakki Marwat and PPP provincial president Anwar Saifullah Khan is likely to stand as their joint candidate in Bannu for a National Assembly seat. The sources added the preliminary list of PPP and PML-N candidates had confirmed the ground situation in the two districts.

Anwar Saifullah is contesting for NA-26 Bannu and PK-74 Lakki Marwat along with Humayun Saifullah Khan from NA-27 Lakki Marwat and PK-75 Lakki Marwat. PML-N has named Salim Saifullah Khan as its candidate from NA-27 Lakki Marwat.

Sources claim Humayun Saifullah Khan will announce his withdrawal from the polls allowing his brother Salim Saifullah Khan, who will contest as an independent candidate, to take his place. Not contesting on a PML-N ticket will leave space for any further seat adjustment between the parties.

PPP has left open PK-76 Lakki Marwat, where PML-N has named Akhtar Munir as its candidate. In return, the PML-N has left open the national assembly seat of NA-26 Bannu for Anwar Saifullah.

So far, both parties have nominated candidates for four provincial assembly seats from Bannu, but have left open one constituency each without naming candidates. There also exists a possibility of seat adjustment on provincial assembly seats in Bannu.

PML-N has nominated Malik Nasir Khan from PK-70, Bannu-I, Dr Sahib Zaman for PK-72, Bannu-III, and Ahmad Mustafa Ali Khan for PK-73, Bannu-IV. The party is yet to decide on PK-71, Bannu-II.

Meanwhile, Fakhr-e-Azam Khan from PK-71, Bannu-II, Advocate Shoaib from PK-72, Bannu-III, and Pashtunyar Khan from PK-73, Bannu-IV have been nominated by the PPP, with the candidate for PK-70, Bannu-I, undecided as yet.

To overcome existing rifts in the party which have led workers to support either Zulfiqar Afghani or Azam Afridi in Peshawar, Anwar Saifullah Khan has also filed nomination papers from NA-1, Peshawar-I.

This will allow Khan to stand against the Awami National Party’s Ghulam Ahmad Bilour and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chief Imran Khan if the rift remains unresolved within PPP’s ranks in Peshawar.

PPP and PML-N’s manoeuvres will raise serious concerns for JUI-F as party chief Maulana Fazlur Rahman is himself a candidate from NA-27 Lakki Marwat, where he will be competing against Salim Saifullah Khan who will have PPP’s support.

The maulana will also be contesting against Faisal Karim Kundi, who beat him in the 2008 polls, in his native DI Khan. JUI-F provincial president Akram Khan Durrani, on the other hand, will be standing against PML-N backed Anwar Saifullah for the NA-26 Bannu seat. Durrani will also have to face Malik Nasir Khan, supported by PPP, in PK-70, Bannu-I.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 31^st, 2013.