Once internal differences resolved:

MMA likely to pose serious challenge to mainstream parties

By Javed Aziz Khan

PESHAWAR: The Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA) is likely to pose a serious threat to the mainstream political parties in the upcoming general election provided the five-party religio-political alliance succeeds in overcoming internal differences.

The MMA, which had won the 2002 general election in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and secured a good number of seats at the centre, is planning to field consensus candidates in the polls.

The alliance has yet to start its activities though its central body was formed last month in Karachi.

Almost all the other political parties have informally launched their election campaigns as the tenure of the government is going to end next month.

The MMA, which is being considered a serious threat to some parties, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, was supposed to announce its office-bearers for the province on April 4.

However, the hours long meeting ended without any conclusion after Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F), the two main vote-getting parties in the MMA, developed disagreement over appointment of the provincial head.

The JUI-F is in the driving seat after its head Maulana Fazlur Rahman was appointed president of the religious alliance.

The JUI-F wanted the top slot in the KP too, but the JI refused to oblige.

The other parties in the MMA also want a share in the top slots in not only KP but also in other provinces.

The religious parties are once again eyeing a 2002-like victory to form the next government in the province.

JUI-F’s Akram Khan Durrani was made the chief minister after the MMA emerged victorious in the province.

JI leader Sirajul Haq was made the senior minister while his party colleague Bakht Jahan hailing from Buner district was made speaker of the provincial assembly.

Other components of the alliance were given cabinet berths as per their numerical strength in the provincial legislature.

The MMA comprised of six religious parties in 2002. Two of the major partners, JI and JUI, were represented by eight ministers each in the cabinet.

The JUI-Sami had one minister in the cabinet while the party also had the office of the deputy speaker.

The Jamiat Ulema-e-Pakistan was represented by one minister. The Tehrik-e-Islami and Markazi Jamiat Ahle Hadith were also given representation in the government.

The alliance later inducted six new members into the cabinet to oblige those who had become troublemakers for the government.

The MMA had passed the Sharia Bill, Hisba Bill and many other laws for introducing the Islamic system but these could not be implemented.

The Maulana Samiul Haq-led JUI-S that was a key partner of the alliance has refused to be part of the revived MMA and has instead moved closer to the PTI.

The JI was likely to quit the KP government, where the party is a junior partner along with the PTI. The JUI-F is also coalition partner in Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz-led federal government.

The JUI-F and JI can launch the election campaign after resolving differences over formation of the provincial bodies and quitting the government. They also differ on the issue of Fata’s merger with KP as the JUI-F is opposed to it and JI is in its favour.