PESHAWAR: Though revitalised lately, the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal has become irrelevant for Senate elections in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly as its two major members are in talks with other parties for support despite having solid votes in the house, said leaders of the religio-political alliance.

Currently, the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl has 15 MPAs and Jamaat-i-Islami seven but both instead of using the MMA platform are separately seeking the support of other political parties for their Senate election candidates.

JI provincial chief Mushtaq Ahmad Khan, who is also contesting the elections, said the MMA was revived for general elections and not for Senate polls.

He said the alliance would prepare its manifesto for the 2018 elections after the formation of cabinets.

The JI leader also said though an announcement regarding its revival had been made, the five-party alliance had yet to be ‘fully activated’ at the central and provincial levels.

Jamaat, JUI-F in talks with other parties for support in PA

He said the MMA’s central cabinet was likely to be announced in Lahore on Feb 15 and cabinets at the provincial level would be established thereafter.

“The structure of the alliance does not exist at grassroots level and therefore, the MMA has been kept aside from the Senate elections,” he said, adding that the tickets for Senate polls were issued by all member parties and not the MMA.

The MMA’s revival was announced in Lahore last December.

Besides the JUI-F and JI, the Jamiat Ulema-i-Pakistan-Noorani, Jamiat Ahle Hadith and Tehreek-i-Islami Pakistan have also joined the religio-political alliance.

Maulana Samiul Haq’s JUI opted not to rejoin the MMA, which was set up in 2002.

The JUI-F has fielded four candidates and the JI two from KP.

When contacted, JUI-F spokesman Abdul Jalil Jan said the Senate elections would be discussed in the next MMA meeting to be held in Lahore.

He said his party had constituted a three-member committee to hold talks with other parties. Mr Jan said there was a possibility of cooperation between the JUI-F and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz for the Senate polls. He however ruled out seeking support of its arch rival, PTI, under the current political circumstances.

“Everything is possible in politics but the prevailing environment is not suitable for dialogue with the PTI,” he said.

JUI-F leader and federal housing minister Akram Khan Durrani is heading the committee, which comprises Maulana Fazal-i-Ali and Maulana Shujaul Mulk.

On the other hand, the JI has also begun talks with other parties for support in the Senate polls.

Mushtaq Ahmad told Dawn that his party was in negotiation with all parties, including its coalition partner, Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf, Awami National Party and Qaumi Watan Party for the Senate polls.

He said the JI was trying to block horse trading and use of money in elections.

The JI leader said he recently discussed the Senate polls with KP Chief Minister Pervez Khattak and provincial assembly deputy speaker Dr Meher Taj Roghani, also a Senate election candidate.

Published in Dawn, February 10th, 2018