GUJRAT: The local cadres of the politico-religious parties such as the Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) and the Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) have resorted to seat adjustments with the mainstream political parties for the Oct 31 local polls.

Having scattered votes, the JI has mainly gone for the seat adjustments with the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaaf (PTI) but in few areas, the party candidates are in alliance with the ruling PML-N. In the municipal committees of Lalamusa, Jalalpur Jattan, Kharian, Dinga and Sara-i-Alamgir, the party candidates for councillor are contesting on the JI election symbol of “Trazu”.

In Gujrat city’s Municipal Corporation, some JI-backed candidates for councillor are contesting from the panels of the PTI in different union councils.

Gujrat JI district emir Dr Tariq Saleem told Dawn that his party had fielded 16 panels of chairmen and vice chairmen in the rural union councils of the district whereas some 90 candidates of councillor’s seat were also in the run from various parts.

Senior JI leader Amirul Azeem, who heads the party’s political committee in Punjab, on Wednesday visited the Gujrat office where he was briefed on the number of party candidates and seat adjustments.

On the other hand, the PML-Q and PAT are negotiating to reach seat adjustment formula for the 12 urban union councils of the city. Both the parties have already announced their seat adjustment in one of the union councils where their candidates will contest on the same panel led by the PML-Q nominee.

A senior PML-Q leader, who had been contesting from Gujrat city’s PP-111 constituency since 1990, told Dawn that he was in contact with the local leadership of the PAT on the matter of seat adjustment. He said the PAT and PML-Q were like-minded and cooperation between them was possible.

Published in Dawn, October 9th, 2015

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