NOWSHERA, Aug 18: The rising popularity and success of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf in May 11 general election has compelled the major opposition parties to field a joint candidate in by-elections slated for August 22 for NA-5, Nowshera-1, vacated by Chief Minister Pervez Khattak.

Daud Khan Khattak, runner-up of the general election, is a joint candidate of the alliance, including Awami National Party, Pakistan People’s Party and Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (JUI-F).

The three-party alliance has been continuing an aggressive election campaign for ANP candidate Daud Khattak against PTI candidate Dr Imran Khattak, who is the nephew and son-in-law of Chief Minister Pervez Khattak.

The JUI-F is also fully supporting the campaign and holding joint gatherings and corner meetings for the success of ANP. The local leaders and workers of all the three major parties are out to woo voters and defeat the PTI candidate.

“No one can defeat us when we have the active support of jumaat (mosque) and hujra (guesthouse) for our candidate,” claimed former provincial minister Mian Iftikhar Hussain while talking to Dawn in Nowshera. He said that unlike past, the ANP and JUI-F, a religious party, had joined hands and as such no other party would be able to defeat their candidate.

The tri-party alliance has prepared posters displaying the pictures of three main leaders, including Asfandyar Wali Khan of ANP, late Benazir Bhutto of PPP and Maulana Fazlur Rehman of JUI-F, to win the public support through their combined efforts.

On the other side, instead of a ruling parties alliance comprising Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf, Jamaat-i-Islami and Qaumi Watan Party making joint efforts, the PTI candidate was campaigning from own party platform and arranged a big public gathering in a show of strength.

The results of the May 11 general election showed that PTI candidate Pervez Khattak had secured more votes than the total votes of candidates of the three-party alliance. Also the PTI being in power in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has an edge over its rival alliance in coming by-polls.

As such, a tough one-on-one contest is expected between Imran Khattak of PTI and Daud Khattak of ANP.

SHOW-CAUSE: The returning officer, Ms Nusrat Yasmeen, has issued show-cause notices to about 30 female and 17 male teachers for refusing to perform duty in by-election due to security reasons. Also, a capacity-building workshop for election staff would be held on Monday (today), and teachers assigned election duties have been asked to attend it.