MANSEHRA: The Pakistan Peoples Party has approached the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl for seat adjustment in the Feb 8 elections to two national and five provincial assembly seats here.

“The PPP recently contacted us through its provincial general secretary, Shujah Salim Khan, with a request for seat adjustment here but we have yet to respond to it,” JUI-F provincial deputy emir Hidayatullah Shah told reporters on Monday.

He said the PPPwanted seat adjustment across Hazara Division.

“Our central parliamentary board has empowered provincial and district bodies to make seat adjustment or electrical alliances their respective areas,” he said.

No decision yet on electoral cooperation with parties, says leader

Mr Shah said other parties, too, were in contact with the JUI-F for cooperation in elections in Hazara division but the latter would decide about it considering its interests.

“All political parties except the PTI and the PML-N have contacted us at district level for seat adjustment but we have yet to take a decision on it for consideration by our central board headed by emir Maulana Fazlur Rehman,” he said.

Meanwhile, former opposition leader in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly and JUI-F leader Shahzada Gustasab Khan has decided to contest election in the NA-15 constituency here without seeking the party’s approval.

“I’m committed to contesting the NA-15 election,” he told Dawn.

NOMINATIONS: A total of 165 people, including leaders of political parties, have filed nomination papers for contesting the Feb 8 general elections here.

Mansehra district has two national and five provincial assembly seats for which the Election Commission of Pakistan stopped receiving nominations on Dec 24 (Sunday).

Of the election aspirants, 20 filed nominations in NA-14 Mansehra-I, 29 in NA-15 Mansehra-II, 19 in KP-36 Mansehra-I, 30 in PK-37 Mansehra-II, 31 in PK-38 Mansehra-III, 25 in PK-39 Mansehra-IV and 21 in PK-40 Mansehra-V.

Political heavyweights, including PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif, Salah Mohammad Khan of the PTI-P, Azam Khan Swati of the PTI, Mufti Kifayatullah of the JUI-F, Zargul Khan of the PPP, and former opposition leader in the provincial assembly Shahzada Gustasab Khan, submitted nomination papers to the district returning officer for contesting elections in NA-15.

The NA-14 candidates include PTI-P leader Salah Mohammad Khan, Sardar Mohammad Yusuf of the PML-N, Shujah Salim Khan of the PPP, Taimur Saleem Swati and Aftab Hussain ShahKazmi of the PTI and Dr Tariq Shirazi of the Jamaat-i-Islami.

Almost all parties are holding talks for seat adjustment.

Meanwhile, Attaullah Tanoli was elected the president of the Oghi Awan-i-Tajarat defeating Sarbuland Khan by a margin of eight votes only.

TARIFF HIKE: The people have demanded withdrawal of the recent hike in gas tariff.

“People can’t pay gas bills after the recent tariff hikes, so the government should immediately withdraw the recent increase in taxes as well as the levies justifiably imposedby the last government,” resident Mohammad Arif Rajpot told reporters here.

Trader leader Fayyaz Solaria warned if hike in gas bills wasn’t withdrawn, the people, including businesspersons, would take to the streets.

Published in Dawn, December 26th, 2023