September 13, 2002	Friday	Rajab 5, 1423

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LAHORE, Sept 12: Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazlur Rehman (JUI-F) leaders lashed out at Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) at a meeting of Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal, which was held here on Thursday to decide electoral adjustments with Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N).

JUI-F leaders were furious over JI’s move of putting forward its various candidates in Lahore as joint nominees of the MMA and PML-N, although it had been decided that all joint candidates would be announced at a press conference. They complained that the Jamaat was making electoral adjustments without taking other constituents of the MMA into confidence.

The JUI-F and JUI-Samiul Haq (JUI-S) would not withdraw their candidates from various constituencies, they announced.

Later, a meeting of MMA and PML-N decided adjustments on 112 NA and PP seats in the province. Talks would be held to decide the fate of another 30 seats.

Sources said the MMA had directed its officials in the districts to immediately hold meetings with local PML-N leaders to settle some of the issues regarding electoral cooperation.

The PML-N has agreed to leave three NA and seven PP seats open to the MMA in Lahore, including the PP-153, which has been left open for JUP’s Qari Zawwar Bahadur.

Meanwhile, Allama Sibtain Kazmi of Islami Tehrik, which is one of the MMA components, has withdrawn his nomination for NA-27 (Jehlum) in favour of a PML-N candidate.

Mr Kazmi told Dawn that the decision was taken after direct talks with PML-N chief Mian Nawaz Sharif, who had promised to accommodate Tehrik members in the Senate.

Meanwhile, JI secretary general Syed Munawar Hasan has said that Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal will hold dialogue with the army after reaching the assemblies.

Speaking at the inauguration of the election office of MMA nominee for NA-121 Farid Ahmad Piracha, he said Gen Pervez Musharraf should have been in Pakistan on Sept 11 to lay a floral wreath on Mazar-i-Quaid. He regretted that the general chose to show solidarity with the Americans instead of the nation on the death anniversary of the Father of the Nation.

He declared that the people would not accept the formula of recognizing Line of Control as international border, which was being forwarded by the US to solve the Kashmir issue.

He also alleged that the government was indulging in pre-poll rigging by patronizing certain parties and alliances. However, he said, they would still not boycott the polls.