Sticking to their respective positions, the Alliance for Restoration of Democracy (ARD) and Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA) have decided to vie for the two National Assembly seats separately.
Opposition sources told Business Recorder that ARD flatly declined to withdraw its candidate Dr Sikandar Hayat from the Attock seat in favour of MMA's Saeedur Rehman.
They said that MMA has put up two conditions for supporting ARD: one, that ARD should withdraw its candidate from Attock, and ,two, it should acknowledge Fazlur Rehman as Leader of Opposition.
Sikandar was runner-up in the previous elections and he had bagged over 41,000 votes. Eman Waseem of PML (Q) had won the seat by getting 61,000 votes. MMA candidate got only around 6,000 votes.
Hence, ARD appears to be in a comfortable position in Attock. However, its chances of winning the Tharparkar seat are extremely dim, as this seat was won overwhelmingly by the Arbab family.
Both ARD and MMA have avoided formal contact on this issue. However, ARD chairman Amin Fahim and MMA Secretary-General Fazlur Rehman had in-house discussion during NA session on Friday.
ARD sources said that it was out of the question for it to accept any precondition of MMA. "Neither we will withdraw from Attock nor accept Fazl as opposition leader," Senator Farhatullah Babar told Business Recorder.
However, both alliances were willing to reach an understanding not to indulge in mud-slinging against each other's candidates, sources said.
Meanwhile, the ruling party is keen to win both seats, vacated by its members last month. "It is a matter of prestige for the government. Of course, Tharparkar seat is in hand, but it will be a real victory if Shaukat Aziz wins from Attock also," PML sources said.
The Arbab community commands influence not only on the Muslim but also around 45-50 percent Hindu population in the constituency, they said.
They said that various teams, comprising PML local chapter office-bearers, have been formed to pick up the campaign's momentum for Shaukat Aziz.
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