PESHAWAR: Former provincial minister Ibrar Hussain Tanoli in the course of his not so long political career has joined three parties and the reason every time was to seek ticket for contesting the election.
After his association of just three months with the Jamaat-i-Islami (JI), Ibrar Tanoli a few days ago joined the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) and was immediately nominated by the latter as its candidate for provincial assembly constituency, PK-32 Mansehra. This infuriated the JI and triggered yet another dispute in the Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA) over ticket distribution between the JI and JUI-F.
Ibrar Tanoli's tactical move to quit JI and join JUI-F wasn't out of love for the party, but was dictated by his calculation that the PK-32 constituency would be allotted to the JUI-F under the agreed MMA formula of ticket distribution.
The JI and JUI-F are the two major components of MMA and Ibrar Tanoli figured out that his interest would be better served in the JUI-F. His earlier decision to join the JI too was motivated by his calculation at the time that he would easily get the party ticket to contest from the PK-32 constituency.
It is not that Ibrar Tanoli has suddenly developed any love for an Islamic party and, therefore, first joined the JI and now the JUI-F. The only reason is getting a party ticket to again win the provincial assembly seat. He has to face a formidable candidate, Habibur Rahman Tanoli, a former provincial minister who a few days ago rejoined the Aftab Sherpao's Qaumi Watan Party (QWP).
In fact, Ibrar Tanoli's had also been associated with the QWP in the recent past when he won the provincial assembly seat from Mansehra. The QWP came into power following the 2013 general election and became the junior partner of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) in the coalition government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The QWP rewarded him by making him a minister.
However, the PTI leadership expelled Ibrar Tanoli and Bakht Baidar, both belonging to the QWP, from the provincial cabinet on corruption charges. This prompted the party's third minister, Sikandar Hayat Sherpao, to resign from the cabinet. Since then, Ibrar Tanoli's loyalty to the QWP became suspect and before long he joined the JI. Unlike the past when JI followed a strict regimen while inducting newcomers into the party, it has become desperate in recent years to allow any electable person to join its fold. The JI was hoping it may win a provincial assembly seat from Mansehra by granting the ticket to Ibrar Tanoli. This was not to be as the JUI-F managed to snatch him from the JI. It quickly nominated him for the MMA ticket from PK-32 Mansehra. If Ibrar Tanoli doesn't win the July 25 election from PK-32 Mansehra, don't expect him to stay for long with the JUI-F and MMA.