SWABI, April 6: Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaf (PTI), Jamaat-i-Islam (JI) and Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Nazriyati (JUI-N) are close to making seat adjustments in two National Assembly and six provincial assembly constituencies of Swabi district.

Sources told Dawn here on Saturday that limited option were available to three parties in the district because Awami Jamhoori Ittehad Pakistan and Swabi Qaumi Mahaza had made poll alliance, while Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl and Qaumi Watan Party had agreed to seat adjustments.

They said there were still minor hurdles to electoral cooperation among the three but they were likely to be removed soon.

A senior PTI leader said: “Our negotiations are in final stage. We are very close to seat adjustment. The talks held by leaders of the three parties were very productive.”

PTI provincial president Asad Qaisar, JUI-N provincial president Maulana Khalil and JI provincial general secretary Shabbir Ahmad Khan all involved in negotiations.

Sources in both PTI and JUI-N said they had given final touches to all aspects of seat adjustment while making it clear to JI that the agreement was expected to be very beneficial for three alliance partners.

The sources said NA-12, Swabi-1 and PK-35, Swabi-V were likely to go to PTI, NA-13, Swabi-11 and PK-34, Swabi IV to JUI-N and PK-31, Swabi-1, PK-32, Swabi-11, PK-33, Swabi-III and PK-36, Swabi-VI to JI.

They, however, said some JI leaders were not happy with the possible understanding and provincial JI general secretary Shabbir Ahmad Khan had requested JUI-N and PTI leaders that a day should be given to them.

The sources said the JI held its meeting and discussed all merits and demerits of seat adjustments but Amir Nawaz Khan, the party candidate from NA-13, was having reservations and it had delayed the announcement.

They said if JI missed the bus, then PTI and JUI-N were in mood to enter in seat adjustments but majority of JI leaders wanted to give final touch to the deal.

Political observers said along with some internal problems, the JI leadership has also been interested in electoral alliance with PML-N.

When contacted, PTI provincial president Asad Qaisar admitted that they were very close to inking a seat adjustment agreement.

Sources said JI, JUI-N and PTI could not enter into an alliance with Awami National Party (ANP) and that PTI alliance with PML-N was also not possible due to serious differences between the leadership of the two parties.

They said JUI-N had not been considered a major party by the Leaguers.

The observers said if the three parties succeeded in finalising their adjustment, then only PML-N and ANP would remain alone in the election contest here.

They, however, said the former allies, PML-N and ANP, did not want electoral grouping.

“Our workers had voted for the League candidates but the League workers adopted an independent policy, so why we should enter into an alliance in which we are on the receiving end,” said ANP district president Haji Rehmanullah.

“Why we remain in illusion like the past and why we enter into an alliance which will not help us,” he asked.