PESHAWAR, March 5: Awami National Party information secretary Haji Mohammad Adeel has claimed that the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA) failed to secure at least 12 votes of its MPAs, “who had sold themselves to the independent candidates.”

In a statement issued here on Tuesday, he claimed that the MMA’s 12 MPAs and

four MNAs were involved in horse-trading and they had voted for independents and government-backed nominees in Peshawar and Islamabad.

Three of the MMA nominees — Sahibzada Khalid Jan, Prof Mohammad Ibrahim and Maulana Rahat Hussain — Haji Adeel said polled less votes required on general seats. The MMA, which has a strength of 71 MPAs, could get 59 votes for its candidates, he added.—Bureau