JUIF and JI fail to withstand PTI’s tsunami in KP

PESHAWAR: The leading religious parties — Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUIF) and Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) could not withstand the tsunami of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and failed to maintain their positions even in erstwhile strongholds in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The JUIF secured one while the JI failed to secure even a single berth in the National Assembly from the province till the filing of this report. They could, however, bag victory on five and two seats, respectively, in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly. The PMLN could win only two

National and five provincial assembly seats from across the province where elections were held on 43 National Assembly and 113 provincial assembly constituencies.

The PTI’s frenzy worked everywhere in the province. From Chitral to Dera Ismail Khan and Hazara to the newly merged tribal districts, the PTI supported independent candidates emerged victorious everywhere.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa enjoys some specific political dynamics. Here various parties have strong pockets of support in different areas of the province. Hazara is traditionally the stronghold of PMLN, JI has a solid vote bank in Malakand division, especially in Lower Dir and Upper Dir. And the JUIF is considered to be strong in the southern districts while Awami National Party has a strong vote bank in the central districts of the province.

However, the PTI maintained its trend of defeating them in their strongholds for the third consecutive time, which proves the fact that the political dynamics of the province have changed altogether over the last 10 years despite the fact that the people of the province have been complaining of the poor performance of the party during its 10-year rule.

It was highly expected that the JI would stage a comeback in the two districts of Dir. But it could bag victory on just one out of the eight provincial assembly seats from the twin districts and lost all in the remaining seven provincial and three national assembly seats to PTI.

Izazul Mulk Afkari, who is JI Lower Dir president, emerged victorious on PK-17. JI chief Sirajul Haq, popular religious scholar Maulana Ismail and former MNA Sahibzada Tariqullah had to bite the dust on NA-6 Lower Dir-1, NA-7 Lower Dir-2 and NA-5 Upper Dir, respectively. Former senior minister and several time MPA Inayatullah Khan, too, could not save his seat - PK-13 Upper Dir -3 - this time against a hitherto unknown PTI-backed independent candidate.

The JI secured two provincial assembly seats in Bajaur. Its candidates, Maulana Waheed Gul and Sardar Khan had been declared victorious on PK-20 and PK-21A. The elections on NA-8 Bajaur and PK-22 Bajaur-4 had been suspended due to the murder of Rehan Zeb, an independent candidate.

JI had also pinned high hopes on some seats in Malakand, Swat and Buner but it could not get even a single seat from there.

The tale of JUIF is equally sorrowful. The JUIF was considered as the most popular party in KP after the PTI with a solid vote bank in the southern districts. But it could manage to win only one national assembly seat, that too from the provincial capital, by the electable Noor Alam Khan on NA-28.

The party could also secure victory in only five provincial assembly seats. Maulana Fazlur Rehman, a political heavyweight and chief of the party, lost his seat in his home constituency of Dera Ismail Khan.

His brother Ubaidur Rahman and two sons Maulana Asad Mehmud and Asjad Mehmud were also lagging behind in the contest. Only one of the family members, Maulana Lutfur Rahman, could secure victory in a provincial assembly seat in Dera Ismail Khan.

The PMLN also failed to perform well in the province. It could bag just two national and five provincial assembly seats from the province till the filing of this report. Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif had to suffer defeat against Shahzada Gustasap Khan on NA-15 Mansehra.

The provincial president of the party Engineer Amir Muqam won in his hometown Shangla, while he suffered a defeat on NA-2 Swat-1. Sardar Mohammad Yousaf was the other party candidate who secured a victory in Mansehra.

Javed Murtaza Abbasi, a strong candidate of the party lost his seat in Abbottabad. Jamshed Khan Mohmand, who was considered as favourite for both national and provincial assembly seats in Mardan, Abbas Khan Afridi from Kohat and Shahji Gul Afridi from Khyber were also considered as strong candidates but they failed to win their seats.