Joining hands: Efforts under way in Bannu to revive MMA

Politicos say time is ripe to make comeback.

BANNU: Efforts are under way to revive the defunct Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA) in the province. During a meeting held in Bannu district on Monday, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl leader and Federal Minister for Housing Akram Khan Durrani said time is ripe to bury the hatchet and join hands with Jamaat-e-Islami to revive the alliance.

Speaking to The Express Tribune, JI Bannu Ameer Dr Nasir said the decision has been taken for the prosperity of the country. “Both parties want to revive the alliance,” he said. “I think it would be a good step.”

Leaders of both parties said MMA disintegrated over a variety of reasons. However, they said the time is now right to revive the consortium of religious parties.

According to insiders, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leaders in the district are not pleased with the decision to activate the defunct alliance. The MMA consisted of six parties that swept the 2002 general elections in two provinces. It fell apart ahead of the 2008 polls when JUI-F went against the majority decision of the alliance to boycott the elections held under former military ruler Gen (retd) Pervez Musharraf.

In the past, attempts were made to reunify the alliance. However, differences between two major stakeholders – the JI and JUI-F – hampered these initiatives.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 5^th, 2015.