Election strategy: Tripartite alliance demands LG polls at the earliest

Announce schedule of meetings to discuss partnership for different districts.

PESHAWAR: The tripartite alliance of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) and Awami National Party (ANP) on Monday urged the government to conduct local government (LG) polls at the earliest.

Talking to reporters following a meeting of leaders of the three parties at the residence of PPP senior leader Najumuddin Khan, alliance coordinator Mian Iftikhar Hussain said the tripartite alliance of opposition parties was aimed at giving the ruling coalition a tough time. “It is meant to provide the public with an alternative platform against the ruling alliance,” he said. Hussain added the constituent parties were intent on making this partnership a success.

The alliance coordinator revealed the three parties have also decided that the alliance will be extended to the district level in preparation for the local bodies’ polls.

He said in this regard, a tri-party meeting for central provincial districts, including Peshawar, Charsadda, Mardan, Nowshera and Swabi, will be held on February 21 at the residence of PPP leader Iftikhar Jhagra in Peshawar.

On February 24, party leaders from Malakand division will meet at Chakdara; Hazara division leaders will convene in Abbottabad on February 26; and on March 1, a meeting for southern districts of K-P will take place in Bannu.

Mian Iftikhar said the constituent parties have also agreed to retain the alliance for by-elections. The ANP leader added that political parties had given their mandate to the government at the time of the all-parties conference. Iftikhar claimed that terrorism-related incidents will not be tolerated simultaneously with the process of dialogue, claiming the government has failed to control the situation.

He also criticised the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) - led government, saying it was pushing the province to a civil war like situation by neglecting its duties. He proposed that a search operation should be carried out in the city before sealing the city to ward off terrorist threats.

PPP Provincial President Khanzada Khan, General Secretary Humayan Khan, former K-P assembly speaker Kiramatullah Khan, Najmuddin Khan, Rahimdad Khan, JUI-F deputy amir Maulana Attaur Rehman, Senator Ghulam Ali and ANP’s Syed Aqil Shah were also present at the occasion.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 18^th, 2014.