SHIKARPUR, July 22: The People’s Party Parliamentarians and the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (F) will jointly contest local body elections against the Pakistan Muslim League and its allied groups in the district. This was announced by leaders of the PPP and the JUI-F at a joint press conference at the Mirani House here on Friday.

Aftab Shahban Mirani, Junaid Ahmed Soomro, Sardar Wahid Bux Khan Bhayo, Agha Sirajuddin Durrani, Qazi Hafizur Rehman, Advocate Naseer Ahmed Lodhi and Haji Peeral Sanjrani from the PPP and Maulana Abdullah Pahore, Siraj Ahmed Shah Amroti, Haji Nisar Ahmed Memon, Hafiz Ubedullah Panhwar, Maulvi Bakhtullah Pahore, Osama Bin Madani from the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-F were present on the occasion.

Aftab Shahban Mirani informed that the PPP has entered into an alliance with the JUI-F on the directive of the party high command regarding the seat adjustment with all democratic political and religious parties.

He said that the PPP backed candidates would contest local body elections on the platform of the Awam Dost Panel.

JUI-F district Ameer Maulana Abdullah Pahore confirmed about the alliance and said the Awam Dost Panel and JUI’s Insan Dost Ittehad would field joint candidate.

They said that seat adjustments between the PPP and the JUI-F would be made at a joint meeting at district, taluka and union council-level before filing the nomination papers.

LEGAL HELP: In order to provide necessary information and legal assistance to female candidates contesting for local body elections, the district coordination committee of Shikarpur in collaboration with the Aurat Foundation, Karachi, have decided to set up camps outside the offices of returning officers in Shikarpur district.

This was disclosed by district coordinator Jawad Ahmed Soomro and joint coordinator Rafina at a press conference here at the local press club on Friday.

They said that in 110 districts of the country, district coordination committees had been established, which would offer their services to female candidates in filling and filing nomination forms.