SWABI, June 17: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz and Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl have decided to contest by-election for the NA-13, Swabi seat vacated by Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf president and Speaker of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly Asad Qaisar.

The decision was taken by the two parties in separate meetings here the other day.

The PML-N meeting was chaired by district president of the party Iftikhar Ahmad Khan and that of JUI-F by party leader and former provincial education minister Maulana Fazal Ali.

During the May 11 election, Maulana Attaul Haq Darvaish of JUI-F stood second and Iftikhar Ahmad Khan of PML-N third.

The PML-N leaders said after forming government in the centre, their party stood a good chance to win the NA-13 seat because it had announced and took good initiatives.

They said their campaign for by-election was in progress and that the party activists to stay in contact with voters to ensure victory of the own candidate.

In the JUI-F meeting, Maulana Fazal said his party was trying to make an alliance of likeminded parties for beating the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf candidate in the by-election.

“We will beat PTI candidate this time around because the PTI leaders have failed to live up to the people’s expectations since it formed government in the province,” he said.

The participants alleged that PTI was divided over the award of ticket for the NA-13 by-election.

They said the PTI division would benefit JUI-F and therefore, it had decided to field a candidate in the by-election.