Hedging their bets: ANP, JUI-F likely to make electoral alliance

Members of both parties confirm meetings have been held to discuss seat adjustment.

PESHAWAR:

The Awami National Party (ANP) and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F), two rival parties in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P), are likely to enter a seat adjustment deal for the August by-polls.

Office bearers of both parties confirmed discussions regarding electoral cooperation had taken place between the two sides, and that both sides had developed a formula in which they would support each other in constituencies where they secured a greater number of votes.

JUI-F Provincial spokesperson Jalil Jan said leaders from the parties were likely to meet in a day or two to discuss the issue. He also informed the JUI-F had constituted a four-member committee comprising former chief minister Akram Khan Durrani, former information minister Asif Iqbal Duadzai, Maulana Lutfur Rehman and himself.

“The JUI-F had a meeting with ANP Provincial President Senator Afrasyab Khattak,” he said. “We agreed to discuss a possible electoral partnership based on each party’s performance in the May 11 polls.”

“On NA-1, Peshawar-I, the ANP secured the most number of votes after the winner so the JUI-F will support its (ANP’s) candidate on this constituency,” explained Jan, adding the ANP would do the same in constituencies where the JUI-F was more popular.



ANP Provincial Information Secretary Malik Ghulam Mustafa also confirmed both parties had made contacts over the past few days. He said the ANP had appointed former K-P chief minister Ameer Haider Khan Hoti to discuss adjustment with other parties. Mustafa said his party was open to talks with all opposition parties. He added, however, only the JUI-F and ANP met the criterion for an electoral alliance. “It is either the ANP or JUI-F which secured the most number of votes or second highest number of votes on May 11.”

Mustafa explained other parties, including the Pakistan Peoples Party and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, did not meet this criterion due to their limited popularity. “In such a case, the JUI-F becomes a force to be reckoned with.”

Mustafa maintained, however, that while a deal with the JUI-F was likely, nothing had been confirmed. He also added his party, which issued a list of candidates on Saturday for the by-polls, had not nominated candidates on those seats where the JUI-F was in a better position in the general elections.

Four provincial assembly and five National Assembly seats from K-P are up for grabs in the upcoming by-polls.

Of the five NA seats, the JUI-F has either been runner-up or winner in NA-13, Swabi, NA-25, DI Khan and NA-27 Lakki Marwat. Meanwhile, the ANP was runner-up on the two remaining seats, NA-1 Peshawar and NA-5 Nowshera.  Of the four provincial assembly seats, the ANP won on PK-23 Mardan, while the JUI-F was runner-up in PK-27 Mardan and PK-42 Hangu. Finally, the latter also won in the PK-70 Bannu constituency.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 7^th, 2013.