MANSEHRA: The Qaumi Watan Party and Awami National Party on Tuesday announced support for the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl contender in PK-37 constituency here.

QWP provincial vice-chairman Bilal Yusufzai told reporters here that the party didn’t field anyone in PK-37 under seat adjustment with the JUI-F in the province and would support the latter’s nominee, Maulana Nasir Mehmood, in the constituency.

“We hope that Maulana Nasir will serve the people after the election,” he said.

Mr Yusufzai said his party’s activists and supporters would vote for the JUI-F candidate in the election.

He said the QWP’s candidates fielded in Hazara Division and other parts of the province were in a strong position to claim victory.

Maulana Nasir, who was also present on the occasion, thanked the QWP leadership for reposing confidence in him and said the JUI-F would form the next elected government in the province after sweeping elections.

Also, ANP president in Mansehra tehsil Mohammad Sultan announced his party would support Maulana Nasir in PK-37 elections.

“Our party has allowed us to make electoral alliances or seat adjustment in the area and therefore, we have decided to support the JUI-F candidate in PK-37,” he told reporters.

INDEPENDENTS: Independent candidates backed by jirgas have dominated the electoral arena in Kohistan’s only National Assembly constituency NA-12 ahead of the Feb 8 polls.

Eleven out of 14 candidates are contesting elections independently, shows a list issued by returning officer Imran Zia for NA-12, which covers Upper and Lower Kohistan and Kolai-Palas districts.

Independents include Taj Mohammad, Taj Mal, Habibullah, Hajab Khan, Mohammad Idrees, Daud Khan, Mohammad Zubair, Mohammad Naseem, Malik Qadam Khan, Maulana Kareemdad and Yahya Khan.

The mainstream parties, including Pakistan Peoples Party, Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl and Jamaat-i-Islami, have also fielded candidates in the constituency.

They include Mohammad Salahuddin (JUI-F), Talib Jan (JI) and Mehboobullah Jan (PPP).

CANDIDATES FINED: The Election Commission of Pakistan’s district monitoring team on Tuesday fined NA-15 candidates for violating election rules.

A team led by district monitoring officer Mohammad Sohail visited the NA-15 Mansehra-II constituency in Oghi tehsil and other areas and imposed fines on the candidates, who put up banners larger than the size specified by the ECP for the Feb 8 general elections.

The team leader also ordered the immediate removal of such banners.

He also took notice of the celebratory fire in election campaign of candidates and said he would speak to the district police officer for a crackdown on it.

Published in Dawn, January 24th, 2024