MANSEHRA, March 11: Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl on Monday named its candidates for two National Assembly and five provincial assembly seats in Mansehra district during the upcoming elections.

Ghulam Nabbi Shah will be JUI-F candidate for NA-20, Mansehra-I; MNA Laiq Mohammad Khan for NA-21, Mansehra-II; Maulana Shah Abdul Aziz for PK-53; former Senator Hidayatullah Shah for PK-54; MPA Mufti Kifayatullah for PK-55; Maulana Nasir Mehmood for PK-56, and Qazi Basir for PK-57.

After a meeting of the JUI-F executive council here at Madrassah-i-Imdadia, Mr Hidayatullah said his party had a big vote bank in the district and would win most of the local seats during the next elections.

He said some big political parties were in contact with JUI-F for seat adjustments in the district and in case of an agreement in this respect, the party would withdraw names of some candidates.

The ex-Senator said a committee had been formed to hold dialogue with political parties and take decision.

He said the party would soon begin holding the workers’ conventions in every constituency as part of preparations for elections.

Mr Hidayatullah said some ‘big guns’ from Hazara would soon announce to join his party.

During the meeting, the participants, who included JUI-F office-bearers from district and tehsil levels, finalised arrangements for the participation of local workers in ‘Islam Zindabad Conference’ to be held in Lahore on March 31.

Also in the day, provincial minister Nimroz Khan inaugurated work on Shungli-Gawa Road in Mansehra, saying the project would cost Rs40 million.

During the groundbreaking ceremony, the minister said the Awami National Party government not only gave Torghar the status of a settled district but also sanctioned a Rs6 billion development package for it.

He said Torghar had been denied development for six decades and it was the current government, which brought prosperity to the area by turning it into a district and approving a mega development package for it.

Mr Khan said Chief Minister Amir Haider Khan Hoti was taking keen interest in the development of Torghar.

He said his opponents were discrediting the government but the people of district were mature enough to realise the government’s initiative for their developent.

“I know how mature you people are and am sure that you won’t spare (in the elections) those, who have deprived you of development for decades,” he said.

The minister said he was sure that ANP would again win most of the provincial and national assembly seats in the province during the next elections.