December 11, 2007	Tuesday	Ziqa'ad 30, 1428

PESHAWAR, Dec 10: The Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam is likely to suffer a setback in Peshawar if the Jamaat-i-Islami sticks to its decision of boycotting the general elections, observers say.

In 2002, the two major components of the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA) swept all the four National Assembly seats and seven of nine provincial assembly seats in Peshawar, once considered a stronghold of liberal forces.

Benefiting from the public reaction to the US-led war in Afghanistan, both the parties bagged two NA seats each in the provincial capital by defeating candidates of the Pakistan People’s Party and the Awami National Party.

But now the MMA, which had emerged as a strong political force in the NWFP and the tribal region, seems on the verge of collapse and is unlikely to remain an electoral alliance as the two parties have parted ways on resignation from the previous assemblies and boycott of the coming elections.

The alliance remained in power for five years and the electorate have tested its governance capabilities and economic policies. The provincial capital has suffered considerably in terms of development activities and law and order situation during the period.

There were complaints that development funds were diverted towards Bannu, the hometown of former chief minister Akram Durrani; Dera Ismail Khan, the city of MMA secretary- general Maulana Fazlur Rehman; and Dir districts, to which key ministers in the province belonged.

The MMA cannot claim credit for any development in the Peshawar district, which has 1,253,129 registered voters.

“These mullahs did nothing for us in the past five years and gained personal benefits. Why will people vote for religious parties again,” remarked Akbar Khan, a voter from a rural area of Peshawar district.

But the foremost factor in the elections is growing mistrust among the leaders and workers of the JUI and the JI. The issues of resignation from the assemblies, motion of no-confidence against the NWFP speaker affiliated with the Jamaat and corruption charges against each other have widened the gap between the two parties.

Under the MMA’s seats allotment formula, both the parties were given two NA seats each in Peshawar. The JI had nominated former MNAs Shabir Ahmad Khan from NA-I and Sabir Hussain Awan from NA-IV, while the JUI did not allot ticket to its former MNA Qari Fayazur Rehman Alvi and fielded a local cleric Maulana Azizuddin from NA-III and ex-MNA Maulana Rehmatullah Khalil from NA-II.

After the JI announced that it would boycott the polls, the JUI fielded its covering candidates Abdul Jalil Jan from NA-I and Barrister Maulana Nisar Mohammad from NA-IV.

The party will face strong candidates of the ANP and the PPP like Ghulam Ahmad Bilour, Ayub Shah, Azam Afridi, Najeebullah and Dr Arbab Alamgir.

Unlike the previous elections, the ANP and PPP candidates are vigorously running their election campaigns and former prime minister Benazir Bhutto also visited Peshawar recently. A tough contest is expected in the contest.

Traditionally, the JUI vote bank is thin in Peshawar as compared to the JI except in the rural areas. The only option with the JUI is to grab the Jamaat’s votes, which seems very difficult. The JI has planned to convince JUI voters to boycott the elections.

The JUI may be squeezed to its traditional constituencies in the southern districts of the province. Its chief Maulana Fazl is contesting from NA-24, NA-25 as well as NA-26 to remain in mainstream politics.

“Boycott does not mean that the JI will allow its workers to run the campaign for JUI candidates and vote for them. We have chalked out a plan for agitation and to convince people to boycott the polls,” said JI provincial general secretary Mushtaq Ahmad Khan.

The JUI is anxiously looking for seat adjustment with rival political forces, including the Pakistan Muslim League (Q).