ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif constituted on Wednesday a four-member committee to finalise PML-N’s candidates for the next month’s local government elections in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The committee comprises PML-N secretary general Senator Iqbal Zafar Jhagra, former KP chief minister Pir Sabir Shah, former minister Amir Muqam and Rehmat Salam Khattak.

Read: SC accepts LG poll schedule for cantt boards, KP

According to an official announcement issued by the Prime Minister House, Mr Sharif has formed the committee in his capacity as the PML-N’s president.

Mr Jhagra has been assigned the task of finalising the party candidates from the central KP areas of Peshawar, Nowshera, Mardan, Swabi and Charsadda.

Mr Khattak will be doing the same job for Dera Ismail Khan, Bannu, Kohat, Lakki Marwat and Karak.

Mr Muqam will be responsible for finalising tickets from Malakand division which includes Dir, Chitral, Buner, Swat and Shangla. Mr Shah will finalise PML-N tickets to be awarded to candidates from Abbottabad, Haripur, Mansehra, Balakot and other districts of Hazara division.

Polling to elect more than 40,000 representatives, including seats reserved for women and minorities, in 24 districts of the province will be held on May 30.

Political activities have gained momentum with parties discussing possibilities of forming alliances at the union council levels.

The Awami National Party, Peoples Party and Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl have agreed to contest the elections from a common platform in most of the districts.

The Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf has reached an understanding with the Jamaat-i-Islami and Awami Jamhoori Ittehad to form an electoral alliance.

Sources said that PML-N was weighing the option of entering into an alliance with the Qaumi Watan Party of Aftab Sherpao.

PPP Co-chairman Asif Zardari has told the sitting and former legislators, ticket-holders and office-bearers in the province to immediately visit their areas.

Published in Dawn, April 16th, 2015

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