QUETTA, Nov 25: Serious differences appear to have emerged in the Balochistan chapter of the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal and Maulana Mohammad Khan Sherani of the JUI(F) has been removed from the provincial chairmanship of the alliance for awarding tickets for the 2008 polls without consulting other MMA parties.

Maulana Abdul Haq Hashmi, provincial vice-president of the MMA, who presided over a meeting of the alliance, attended by the Jamaat-i-Islami, JUP, Jamiat Ahl-i-Hadees and Pakistan Islami Tehrik on Saturday, expressed deep concern over recent decisions of the JUI(F). The meeting discussed what it called the unilateral decision of Maulana Mohammad Khan Sherani of awarding tickets to candidates to contest the 2008 elections without the approval of the provincial MMA leadership.

“The JUI(F) had damaged the unity of the Ummah by not consulting other members of the alliance over the issue of candidates and taking decisions in its own interests, instead of those of the alliance, the statement said. Therefore, Maulana Sherani was no more provincial head of the MMA, it added.

The statement said that the JUI(F) had opted for contesting the polls from outside the MMA platform.

The meeting unanimously decided to contest the polls and awarded tickets to candidates for NA seats of Balochistan.

Tickets were also awarded for Balochistan assembly seats and for reserved seats for women and minorities.