ANP walks out of alliance

DI KHAN: With local government elections approaching fast, political bargaining is taking on a rapid pace. PTI and its allies, and the alliance of JUI-F, ANP and PPP are at making and breaking points.

A fissure was observed in the tripartite alliance of JUI-F, ANP and PPP in Tank district when ANP decided to part ways.

“We will participate in the upcoming elections but as an independent party,” said ANP Tank President Fazal Karim at the party’s office in the city on Wednesday. “We were authorised by ANP’s provincial leaders to make seat adjustment with our allies, JUI-F and PPP, but the former made it difficult for us to continue as we were only offered seats in Union Council City II,” Karim told The Express Tribune.

Karim said ANP has a strong base in Tank but JUI-F gave them only one constituency, that too to be shared with PPP. “Hence we decided to part ways.”  The JUI-F and PPP formed an alliance despite the presence of two rivals – Fazalur Rehman from JUI-F and Faisal Karim Kundi from PPP. Both have always faced off over the NA seat in DI Khan.  Tank district has 16 union councils; as yet most candidates are appearing as independents.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 16^th, 2015.