TOBA TEK SINGH, April 12: Two religious figures belonging to different sects have announced support for each other as candidates for National Assembly seats.

Maulana Muhammad Ahmad Ludhianvi, chief of Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat (ASWJ), and Pir Qutab Ali Baba, Pakistan People’s Party ticket holder in NA-94 (Kamalia) and caretaker of Darbar Qutbia in Sindhillianwali, met in Kamalia on Friday evening to discuss political support to each other.

At the end of their meeting, they told reporters that they had decided to support each other in the election. Pir Qutab will support Maulana Ludhianvi in Jhang, where he is a candidate for a National Assembly seat, while Maulana Ludhianvi will support Pir Qutab for the NA-94 seat in Kamalia.

Maulana Ludhianvi belongs to a Jatt family of Kamalia, while Pir Qutab is son of former MPA Pir Ibrar Hussain, grandson of late senator Pir Israr Hussain and nephew of former prime minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani. Pir Qutab and his family have followers in Toba, Jhang and Khanewal districts. The family belongs to the Sunni Barelvi school of thought.

Maulana Ludhianvi said the agreement was mutual. Pir Qutab said the agreement would have an impact on election results of Jhang and Kamalia constituencies.

Dr Zafar Iqbal Jakhar, Pir Muhammad Abdal Qureshi, Dr Kamal Akhtar and Rai Muhammad Nawaz were also present.