PESHAWAR, Oct 21: Sardar Mohammad Idrees, an independent MPA-elect from PF-48, Abbottabad-V, has joined Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (F), a main component of Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA) on Monday.

The JUI (F) officials said that the MPA-elect would make a formal announcement in the presence of the party chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman at a news conference here on Tuesday.

The party sources claimed that two more independent MPAs-elect from Hazara were likely to join JUI (F). However, they refused to disclose the names of the provincial assembly members who were ready to join the JUI (F) ranks.

With the joining of Sardar Idrees, the JUI (F)’s total strength would reach 28 in the Frontier assembly and the total number of the MMA would climb to 49.

Apart from the 99 general seats in the Frontier assembly, there are 23 seats reserved for women and three for minorities, bringing the total strength to 124.

The sources said that Maulana Fazlur Rehman was expected to announce the name of the MMA candidate for the NWFP chief minister’s slot. The senior minister’s slot will also go to Jamaat, according to the agreement.

The MMA’s components had agreed to hand over the office of chief minister to JUI (F) in the province while Jamaat-i-Islami would occupy the provincial assembly’s speaker’s office.