LAHORE, Sept 9: The PML-QA is ready to support certain Jamaat-i-Islami nominees in Lahore if the party does not field Hafiz Salman Butt against its president Mian Azhar in NA-118, it is learnt.
Sources in the PML-QA say the party has extended the offer to counter the reported PML-N intention of extending full support to the Jamaat, a constituent of the six-party Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal, if it puts up Mr Butt against Mian Azhar to give the latter a tough time.
The JI officials have reportedly accepted the PML-QA offer and have decided not to force the MMA component JUI-F to withdraw its candidate Hafiz Abdul Wadood from 118 in favour of Mr Butt.
Salman Butt is an MMA candidate from NA-120. However, he has also filed his papers from NA-118.
It is also learnt that Mr Butt, apprehending his defeat at the hands of Mian Azhar, had asked the PML-N to give him a ‘safe’ provincial assembly constituency.
Meanwhile, officials of the PML-N and the MMA met again here on Monday after a break of four days to sort out differences over adjustments in Attock, Rawalpindi, Chakwal, Jhelum, Sargodha, and Mianwali districts.
The two and half hours meeting decided nothing but to continue the exercise on Tuesday (today).
Sources in the MMA say it is unlikely that the adjustments’ issue with other parties will be finalized at the district level. Efforts made in this regard so far have resulted in serious conflicts between local leaders of the constituents, they say.
They apprehend that the PML-N is intentionally delaying talks on the issue in an anticipation of some sort of a deal with the PPP.
Meanwhile, a nominee of MMA from Lahore has declared himself as the unanimous candidate of both the PML-N and the MMA though the two parties have not yet reached any understanding in this regard.
The candidate contesting the October polls from PP-148 has even got published publicity material to the effect.
There is also concern among religious parties’ alliance over the Markazi Jamiat Ahle Hadith’s decision of fielding its candidates, especially its office-bearers, from the PML-N platform.
They fear that the Election Commission may raise objections over it and may cancel registration of the alliance because of “change” in its composition.