QUETTA, Nov 23: The Balochistan chapter of Jamait Ulema-i-Islam (Fazl) on Friday finalised the names of its candidates for national and provincial assembly seats.

Surprisingly, the list of candidates does not include names of JUI (F) leaders Hafiz Hussain Ahmed, Maulana Noor Mohammad and former minister Hafiz Hussain Ahmed Shurudy.

Addressing a press conference, the party’s provincial Amir, Maulana Mohammad Khan Sherani, said the JUI (F) would contest elections under the state of emergency because polls of 1962, 1965, 1970, 1985 and 2002 were also held under military regimes.

He said that the APDM’s decision to resign from the assemblies and its strategy for the presidential election served only to weaken the anti-Musharraf forces.

He said that the JUI (F) would not repeat the mistake of boycotting polls.

When asked why the MMA was not consulted in awarding tickets for the polls, Maulana Sherani said that other parties and groups in the alliance did not have much strength and independent candidates had defeated the MMA candidates in previous elections.

Those awarded tickets for the National Assembly are: Hafiz Fazal Mohammad Barach (NA-259, Quetta), Malik Sikandar Khan (260-Quetta-Chagai), Maulvi Agha Mohammad (261-Pishin), Maulvi Hanif (262-Qila Abdullah), Maulvi Faiz Mohammad (263-Loralai), Maulana Mohammad Khan Sherani (264-Zhob), Maulvi Ata Mohammad (265-Sibi-Kohlu), Mir Mehtab Jatak (266-Nasirabad), Syed Abdul Malik Shah (267-Kachhi), Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haidari (268-Kalat), Maulana Qamaruddin (269-Khuzdar), Haji Abdul Aziz (271-Kharan-Panjgur) and Mufti Ehtashamul Haq (272-Kech-Gwadar). The party also named its candidates for 51 seats of the Balochistan assembly.