PESHAWAR, Dec 2: The Pakistan People's Party has announced withdrawal of its candidates in the NA-35, Malakand, bye-election, Raziq Jan and Mohammad Nisar, in favour of Salim Saifullah Khan of the Pakistan Muslim League.

According to a press release issued from the party's secretariat, the decision had been taken to strengthen the position of the PML candidate. Raziq Jan and Mohammad Nisar said they would fully cooperate with Salim Saifullah in accordance with the directions of the party high command.

They said both the parties would continue to struggle for the rights of the people of Malakand. They said they would mobilize party workers and expose the real faces of the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal and the People's Party Parliamentarians, which, they claimed, would pave way for the victory of the PML candidate.

They said Salim Saifullah was the joint candidate of the PPP and the PML. The chief of the NWFP chapter of the Pakistan People's Party, MPA Sikandar Hayat Khan Sherpao, said the withdrawal of the candidates would boost Mr Saifullah's position.

According to a press release issued here, he said the MMA had failed to enforce the Islamic system and resolve the problems of people. He said the alliance would fail to fool people through hollow slogans.