Leaders of Pakistan People's Party (PPP) and Jamait Ulema-e-Islam-Nazriati (JUI-N) have entered an electoral alliance at district Swabi level and vowed to contest July 25 general election from a joint platform.
Addressing a joint press conference at the residence of Maulana Khalil Ahmad Mukhlis, Central Chief of JUI-N in district Swabi on Thursday, Maulana Khalil announced, "We are political people and our doors have remained open other political parties to join us. In such scenario leaders of two coalition parties would look to their priorities and options."
The focus of the two parties was to win election and foil those who made hollow pledges during the election, he added. The press conference was attended by Maulana Mukhlis, Gohar Ali Inqilabai, deputy provincial information secretary of PPP, Ali Khan, district general secretary, Najeem Khan, JUI (N) central general secretary, district and tehsil office-bearers, contesting candidates of the two parties and workers.
It was the first ever electoral alliance in the district. The leaders of the two parties inked an agreement which would be implemented in letter and spirit while running a joint election campaign. The election camps and all other activities would be launched and run together jointly, they said.
The leaders of the two parties said that NA-18, Swabi-I, PK-44, Swabi-II and PK-47, Swabi-V have been contested by the JUI-N. Maulana Mukhlis contests election from NA-18, Tahir Tasleem from PK-44 and Nisar Ali Khan from PK-47. Similarly, the NA-19, Swabi-II, PK-45, Swabi-III and PK 46, Swabi-IV have been awarded to the PPP. Muhammad Naeem Khan contests election from NA-19, Sikandar Irfran, former MPA from PK-45 and Abn-i-Aman Khan from PK-46. The PK-43, Swabi-I has been kept open and Muhammad Ishfaq Khan of PPP and Asif Karim of JUI-N contest election on the ticket of their respective party.
Najeem said that JUI-N candidates have filled the nomination papers from all seven constituencies of the district but now three leaders of our party would remain in the contest. "The JUI-N candidates would withdraw their nomination papers from NA-19, PK-45 and PK 46 in favour of our alliance partner. Similarly the PPP candidates would withdraw their nomination papers from NA-18, PK-44, and PK-47 in favour of our candidates on Friday (Today)," he said. In reply to a question, Sikandar said that they have constituted a committee which would resolve if any new issues emerge during the election campaign.