PESHAWAR, Dec 25: Differences have cropped up in Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (Fazl) over the allotment of tickets in the troubled North Waziristan Agency and the Swabi district, party sources said.

The differences surfaced when JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman allegedly bypassed the local shoora’s decision and fielded former MNA Maulvi Nek Zaman for a National Assembly seat in North Waziristan.

The JUI-F now stands divided into four groups in the troubled agency.

The sources said that the breakaway factions had turned down Maulana Fazl’s directives to withdraw papers in favour of Maulvi Zaman whom they believed to be a weak candidate.

They said the shoora had nominated businessman Aurangzeb Khan but he was rejected by the party high command since he did not sport a beard.

Mr Khan and two other candidates, Mufti Siddiqullah and Mohammad Kamran, are now contesting the elections in the agency against the party’s nominee.

The sources said that Maulana Fazl had recently sent letters to the dissidents to withdraw from the competition, but all of them refused.

In South Waziristan, the party is expected to have a smooth sailing as it enjoys the support of local militant leaders for its candidates.

The party allotted tickets to former MNA Maulana Abdul Malik for NA-41 (Wana) and fielded ex-parliamentarian Maulana Mirajuddin for NA-42.

The sources said that Maulana Abdul Malik was being supported by pro-government militant commander Maulvi Nazir in Wana, while Maulana Mirajuddin was relying on Baitullah Mehsud’s support.

A political analyst told Dawn by telephone from Wana that there was no clear indication that the militants were supporting the JUI candidates.

However, local residents claimed that it was evident from the election campaign that both contestants had the backing of militant groups in the area.

As for Swabi, the party sources said that a group of dissidents led by former MNA Maulana Khalil Ahmad Mukhlis had formed their own faction with the name of JUI-Haqiqi in the district and had fielded their panel for the national and provincial assembly seats.

The dissidents running for the NA-13 (Swabi) and two provincial assembly seats had been allotted the symbol of ‘Takhtti’.

The Haqiqi group has fielded Maulana Khalil Ahmad from the NA-13 constituency who is contesting against the JUI-F nominee Maulana Attaul Haq.

Maulana Mukhlis is contesting for the provincial assembly seat of PF-35 (Swabi) against the party candidate Fazl Ali Haqqani, who was a minister in the then MMA government in the NWFP.

The Haqiqi group’s general secretary, Najam Khan, said that the group had also fielded candidates for PF-34 and PF-36.

The JUI-F had won one NA seat and two provincial assembly seats from the Swabi district in the 2002 elections.