BATTAGRAM: The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan Peoples Party Parliamentarian (PPPP) have decided to support each other’s candidates in NA-12 and PK-29 constituencies of Battagram district.

An announcement to this effect was made here on Sunday. PPPP decided to support PML-N candidate in PK-29, while the PML-N is to support PPP nominee in NA-12.

On the occasion, Sardar Malak Jan, PPPP Battagram president, said local PML-N leadership was in close contact with him for some days, but after consulting the party’s divisional and provincial leadership they had decided to extend support to the PML-N contender in PK-29.

He asked the PPP workers to work for success of PML-N candidate.

According to political analysts, PPPP has a good vote bank in the constituency, which will have an effect on the poll results.

Speaking on the occasion, PML-N’s former MPA Nawabzada Wali Mohammad Khan thanked the PPPP local and provincial leadership for supporting the party’s candidate. He said whenever his party came in power it took steps for development of the district.

He claimed that PTI had failed to deliver on the promises it made with the people.

JI QUITS MMA: Jamaat-i-Islami’s local chapter has left Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal in the district for not giving it proper role in the general elections.

JI district emir and MMA general secretary Haji ImdadUllah told a press conference that the party was forced to leave the MMA because the JUI-F, a major component of the alliance, was not taking JI leaders on board in the decision making process relevant to elections. He said the JI had accepted with open heart the MMA decision to award all the three poll tickets in the district to the JUI-F.

MMA district president and JUI-F leader Maulana Fariduddin, when contacted, told Dawn that the JI should review the decision.

PTI CRITICISED: Captain retired Mohammad Safdar, while addressing a public meeting on Sunday, alleged that PTI chief Imran Khan was working on foreign agenda to turn Pakistan into a secular state.

He said the previous PTI government claimed to have planted a billion tree across the province but there was nothing on the ground. He said during the PTI government corruption peaked in the province.

The former MNA asked the people to elect the PML-N candidates to ensure development of the district. He said Battagram district had great tourism potential, which could only be exploited if the PML-N came into power in the province.

Published in Dawn, July 2nd, 2018