March 27, 2008	Thursday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 18, 1429

PESHAWAR, March 26: Extending unconditional support to the coalition of Awami National Party and Pakistan People’s Party in NWFP, Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl has decided not to field candidates for the slots of speaker and deputy speaker in the provincial assembly and coveted post of chief minister.

The decision was taken at the joint session of parliamentary party and provincial executive council of JUI-F held at the residence of former chief minister Akram Khan Durrani on Wednesday evening.

JUI-F provincial secretary information Abdul Jalil Jan said that 12 out of 14 newly elected MPAs of the party in the provincial assembly attended the session.

He said that chief minister-designate Amir Haider Hoti along with party senior leaders met Mr Durrani on Wednesday and requested him not filed candidate against him. The former chief minister is also JUI-F parliamentary leader in the provincial assembly.

Mr Jan said that two PMAs could not attend the meeting but they endorsed the parliamentary party decision by telephone.

He said that a jirga of the PPP, led by provincial president Rahimdad Khan, also visited Durrani’s house and requested not to field candidates for the posts of speaker and deputy speakers. He said that the PPP nominee for the post of speaker Kiramatullah Khan Chagharmati had also held meeting with Mr Durrani and sought his help in getting elect unopposed.

“The parliamentary party and executive council unanimously decided not to field candidates for the top three posts in the provincial assembly,” Mr Jan told Dawn.

He said that JUI-F had extended unconditional support to the ANP-PPP coalition. But he made it clear that they would not join the coalition government and sit on the opposition benches in the provincial assembly.

The coalition partners in the province have a clear majority and can form government but they are making contacts with other parties to elect their nominees unopposed. JUI-F provincial chief Maulana Gul Naseeb also said that they joined the government in centre in larger national interest but would not join the provincial and sit on opposition benches. Justifying his party decision to join government in centre, Mr Naseeb said that they joined the government to keep a check on the coalition allies.