SHANGLA: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz has got into trouble after it struck seat adjustment with Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl as its provincial vice-president and former MPA Fazalullah Khan parted ways with the party in protest and decided to contest elections as an independent candidate.

Mr Fazalullah, who is a relative of PML-N provincial president Amir Muqam, announced his decision during a meeting held at his residence in Aloch, Puran here the other day.

Former tehsil nazim and expected candidate from PK-30, Mohammad Ali Khan and Raja Pervaiz Khan, a candidate for NA-11, also addressed the meeting and criticised the PML-N provincial leadership over the seat adjustment with JUI-F.

In his speech, Fazalullah claimed his father, former provincial minister late Pir Mohammad Khan was mentor of Amir Muqam, but he (Muqam) had forgotten his and his father’s sacrifices for the party by depriving him of the party ticket.

He said after consulting his supporters, family elders, he had decided to contest the elections independently.

He said his uncle, Raja Pervaiz Khan would contest NA-11, his other uncle, Raja Mohammad Ali Khan from PK-30, and he would himself vie for PK-29, his home constituency in Puran.

Under the seat adjustment, PML-N announced support for JUI-F candidate, Shaukat Ali in PK-29, and JUI-F supported PML-N in rest of the seats.

Meanwhile, at a jirga held in Chakesar tehsil, local elders announced to boycott the PML-N candidate from NA-11 in protest against what they said involvement of party’s provincial president Amir Muqam in making changes to constituencies. They claimed the final delimitation had divided Chakesar tehsil into three different constituencies.

When contacted, Mr Muqam argued that Mr Fazalullah’s decision to contest elections independently would not make any difference to the party in elections. He said Chakesar people would vote for PML-N candidates.

In a separate development, Pakistan Peoples Party Malakand division joint secretary Amir Sultan announced quitting the party, saying PPP did not fulfill its commitment made with him.

Mr Sultan, a leader of Gujjar tribe, made the decision through a social media post, which he also confirmed to Dawn. Mr Sultan had joined the PPP in September 2023 after quitting JUI-F.

Published in Dawn, January 10th, 2024