Tariq Khattak joins JUI-F

NOWSHERA: Former parliamentarian Tariq Khattak on Saturday announced joining the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F).

Tariq Khattak quit the Awami National Party and announced joining the JUI-F in a meeting with the party provincial chief and Senate candidate Maulana Gul Naseeb Khan in Dag Ismailkhel here.

JUI-F district chief Qari Umar Ali, deputy district chief Mufti Shaukatullah, general secretary Mufti Hakim Ali Haqqani and others were also present.

Sources said that the JUI-F had assured Tariq Khattak to issue him ticket from the platform of recently revived Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA) to contest the next general election from the provincial assembly constituency PK-12, Nowshera.

Tariq Khattak would formally announce joining the JUI-F in public meeting on March 22 next in presence of its chief Maulana Fazlur Rahman.

Engr Tariq Khattak was elected as Member National Assembly on the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) ticket from NA-5 in the 2007 general election.

He also contested the 2013 general on the PPP ticket from NA-5 and lost the elections to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) candidate and incumbent Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Pervez Khattak.

Later, he developed differences with the PPP leadership over the nomination of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa office-bearers and had joined the Awami National Party.