PMLN, JUIF strike electoral alliance in Shangla

BISHAM/ALPURI: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PMLN) and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUIF) entered into an election alliance in the Shangla district on Wednesday.

As per the understanding, PMLN will field candidates for three seats and JUIF for one slot. Both the parties would support each other’s aspirants. This is said to be the first electoral alliance between the two parties in any part of KP.

The leaders of the two parties addressed a press conference to unveil the details of the alliance. A former nazim of the district Shaukat Ali and erstwhile provincial assembly member Muhammad Rishad Khan were present on the occasion as well.

JUIF district chief Qari Zainullah, PMLN district head, Intikhat Alam Khan and former member of national Assembly from the area, Dr Ibadullah, spoke to the media.

Qari Zainullah said they had entered into an alliance with the PMLN in Shangla on the directives of the elders of the party.

Spelling out the details, he said his party would support the PMLN candidates for NA-11, PK-28 and PK-30 while the PMLN would support the JUIF on PK-29.

Qari Zainullah defended the alliance and said JUIF had remained an ally of the PMLN as part of the Pakistan Democratic Movement in the recent past.

He said his party enjoyed a big vote bank in Shangla and the alliance candidates would return successful in the general elections slated for February 8.

Intikhat Alam Khan and Dr Ibadullah said the PMLN-JUIF alliance was quite natural and which would ensure a win of the joint candidates, adding they wanted to develop the Shangla district.

It may be mentioned here that Shangla has only one National Assembly seat- NA-11. PMLN provincial president Amir Muqam is the party candidate for NA-11 and the provincial assembly seat, PK- 30, while Muhammad Rishad Khan will vie for PK-28 on the PMLN ticket.