BUNER: The local leaders of five major political parties -- ANP, JI, JUI-F, PML-N and PTI -- failed to reach a consensus about fielding joint candidates for the local government by-polls.

The leaders of the parties held a jirga that continued for two days. However, the meeting remained inconclusive.

PTI district general secretary Bakhrad Khan made it clear to the jirga that his party would not compromise on its two vacated seats. The seats were vacated by Malakpur union council nazim Riaz Khan and Gagar tehsil council member Bakhtyar Ali Khan, both associated with PTI.

He said that both the seats should be left for the PTI candidates. He said that ANP and JI had not vacated any seat so those parties were not entitled for any seat in the by-elections. He said that PTI’s condition for consensus candidate was clear. He said that he was in favour of contesting elections for all the vacant seats in by-elections.

Other leaders including Shujaat Ali Khan, Jan Syed, and Laiq Bacha of ANP; Sirzamin Khan and Shah Bakht Rawan Khan of PML-N; Istiqbal Khan of JUI-F; Nasar Khan and Abdul Ghafar of JI and Prof Hamidur Rehman of QWP continued negotiations for consensus candidates in the absence of PTI representatives.

However, sources said PML-N leaders also remained stick to their stance of fielding candidates for the slots of Norezai union council nazim and Daggar tehsil council member.

PML-N leaders were of the view that their party had vacated two seats in general elections and supported the district coalition government of ANP and JI so it had the right to field candidates for both the seats.

The JUI-F leaders also made it clear that they would not compromise on their vacated seat and asked ANP and JI to support their candidate.

Published in Dawn, November 27th, 2018