SHANGLA: The Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal’s component parties are facing serious differences over election nominations in Shangla.

After joining the JUI-F, Gujjar community leader Amir Sultan announced that he would contest elections from NA-10 on the MMA ticket.

However, JUI-F leader and former candidate from PK-23, Shangla-I, Mohammad Yar Khan claimed that only JUI-F members would contest elections in all Shangla constituencies from the MMA’s platform under the agreement made by the grouping’s member parties.

He said the Jamaat-i-Islami had fielded own candidates from the MMA platform in other parts of the province.

Mr Yar Khan said the MMA leadership had decided in favour of his nomination and would formally award election tickets today (Sunday).

Gujjar community leader Amir Sultan, who belongs to PML-N provincial president Amir Muqam’s native village, announced here the joining of the JUI-F with his supporters.

He claimed he was promised the NA-10 Shangla ticket by the MMA leadership.

Mr Sultan said his community had long been neglected by the leadership of other political parties and therefore, he had decided to be part of the JUI-F, which had a large number of votes in the district.

MMA district general secretary Maulana Nizamuddin claimed that their three-day talks with the local Jamaat leaders over election tickets failed and therefore, they referred the matter to the provincial leadership for decision.

He said according the 2013 election formula, the JUI-F deserved all three assembly tickets from Shangla but the decision of the MMA’s provincial leadership would be final in that respect.

The JUI-F leader said if Amir Sultan deserved, he would get the ticket for NA-10 election.

MMA local emir and Jamaat-i-Islami leader Najamullah told Dawn that if the MMA failed to field candidates in Shangla, then the locals party leaders would follow the provincial leadership’s decision to contest elections on party platform or independently.

Meanwhile, candidates of various parties and independents have submitted nominations forms to contest elections in NA-10 and PK-23 and PK-24 Shangla.

Among them are PML-N provincial chief Amir Muqam, Haji Sadeedur Rehman of the ANP, Waqar Ahmed Khan of the PTI, Amir Sultan, Nawaz Mehmood, Engineer Abdul Tawab, Dr Safeer Khan and Imad Khan for NA-10 Shangla, Mohammad Yar of the JUI-F, Mutawakeel Khan of the ANP, Mohammad Rashid Khan of the PML-N and Waqif Shah of the JI for PK-23.

The PK-24 Shangla-II candidates include Abdul Maula of the PTI, Fazaullah Khan of the PML-N, Faisal Zeb Khan of the ANP, Shahwar Alam, Dr Abid, Zaidullah of the PPP.

Published in Dawn, June 10th, 2018