MARDAN: Awami National Party and Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazal have joined hands against Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf for the by-polls in PK-53 constituency.

The by-elections will be held on October 14.

The leaders of ANP and JUI-F held a meeting here on Tuesday to chalk out future line of action. The meeting, presided over by JUI-F district emir Maulana Mohammad Qasim, was attended ANP provincial president Ameer Haider Khan Hoti, Imran Manduri, Ahmad Khan Bahadar and JUI-F district general secretary Maulana Amanat Shah, Hafiz Akhtar Ali and Qari Niaz Ali.

The participants of the meeting decided that JUI-F workers would support ANP candidate Ahmad Khan Bahadar in the by-polls while ANP district councillors would support JUI-F candidate in the elections for slot of district nazim to be held on September 27.

Addressing on the occasion, Mr Hoti said that a meeting of opposition parties held in Peshawar soon after the general elections had decided that they would support each other’s candidate in the by-elections.

He said that they convened the meeting to devise a plan for joint campaign for the by-elections.

He said that real representatives of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa were kept out of both National Assembly and provincial assembly in the recently held general elections through a well-planned conspiracy.

Mr Hoti alleged that representatives of Punjab, Sindh and Balochistan provinces were elected but Pakhtun leaders were kept out of the assembly.

He said termed the last general elections as selection, saying candidates of a specific party were made successful through massive rigging.

The ANP leader urged all opposition parties to forge unity against the incumbent rulers and gave them a tough time.

Maulana Mohammad Qasim said that JUI-F would support ANP candidate in the by-polls.

He said that JUI-F had constituted a committee consisting Maulana Amant Shah, Qari Niaz Ali, Maulana Aqil and Maulana Tajul Ameen Jabal to coordinate with ANP leaders for joint campaign for the by-polls.

Published in Dawn, September 26th, 2018