PESHAWAR, Dec 26: The Jamaat-i-Islami has threatened to quit the government in the NWFP if the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (Fazl) failed to withdraw its candidates against it in the by-elections.

A JI spokesman, in a statement issued here on Thursday, said the JUI-F had fielded its candidate Maulana Idrees against a Jamaat-i-Islami candidate Maulana Abdul Mastan for PF-20, Charsadda, which was vacated by Federal Minister for Water and Power Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao.

He said that the JUI-F had got all the seats in Charsadda despite the district being the stronghold of the Jamaat-i-Islami. He pointed out that the JUI-F later reached an understanding with the PPP (Sherpao) and in the bargain received only one national and one provincial assembly seats.

Similarly, he said the JUI-F had also fielded its candidate Fazlullah on NA-34, Dir, which was vacated by Jamaat-i-Islami Amir Qazi Hussain Ahmad. The JI, he said, had nominated Maulana Ahmad Ghafoor Ghawas to run in the bye-elections.

The spokesman said that the Jamaat would withdraw its candidate in favour of the JUI-F candidate in Charsadda, if the latter would pull out its candidate in favour of the former candidate in Dir.

Dir has been a stronghold of the Jamaat-i-Islami and most of its candidates have won from there.

Expressing concern over the allocation of portfolios in the province, the JI spokesman recalled that according to the agreement reached between the MMA component parties, the JUI-F was to get 14 ministries, followed by the JI with 10 cabinet slots.

He however, regretted that the JUI-F grabbed the portfolio of law and parliamentary affairs which, under the terms of the agreement, was to be given to the JI.

The spokesman said that the six Jamaat-i-Islami ministers including its senior minister in the Akram Khan Durrani government would quit if the JUI-F did not withdraw its candidate on NA-34.

He however, hastened to add that the JI would keep the MMA intact despite breaking away from the government.

This is the second time, the JI has come out with a strong statement against the JUI-F.

Earlier, its spokesman had taken strong exception to the nomination of Akram Durrani as the chief minister of the NWFP by JUI-F, saying the MMA had not been taken into confidence on the issue. The spokesman had also raised objections to the appearance of Akram Khan Durrani who was not keeping beard.