PESHAWAR, Sept 4: The People’s Party Parliamentarians has claimed that it is in a position to set up government in 10 of the 24 districts of the province. Talking to Dawn here on Sunday after a joint meeting of newly-elected nazims, naib nazims, councillors and PPP office-bearers at his Hayatabad residence, PPP provincial president Rahimdad Khan observed that despite the ineffective role of the election commission of Pakistan, the PPP had emerged as the single largest political force in the NWFP.

Mr Khan said decisions about the nominations of nazims in different districts and towns would be taken with the consent of the local party organization. PPP provincial senior vice-president Syed Qamar Abbas, Syed Zahir Ali Shah, Syed Ayub Shah, Arbab Alamgir Khan, Karamat Khan Chagarmati, Israr Khan Nahqi, Khwaja Yawar Naseer, Iftikhar Khan and other party office-bearers were present on the occasion.

Mr Rahimdad said that the PPP had entered an alliance with the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam in various districts in the larger interest of the people who were struggling for their basic civic needs.

He said that the PPP would not give in to the demands of any group even under stress; however, it was ready to satisfy every worker and office-bearer about the ground realities and seat adjustment with other groups.

He said the PPP would give equal representation to women, workers, farmers and members of minorities in tehsil, town and district governments.

He said in Lower and Upper Dir, the Pakistan Muslim League and PPP-S were supporting PPP candidates against Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) nominees.