MMA finalises candidates from Islamabad

Islamabad : Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) has agreed on accommodating Jamiat Ulama-e-Islam (Fazal-ur-Rehman) (JUI-F) from one of three National Assembly constituencies from the federal capital while JI central leader Mian Muhammad Aslam as candidate of Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA) will contest from two seats.

Addressing a press conference along with other leaders, Mian Muhammad Aslam said that Raja Bilal Faisal of JUI-F has been nominated as consensus candidate of MMA from NA-52 Islamabad. He will face former federal cabinet member of the PML-N Government Dr. Tariq Fazal Chaudhry and Raja Khurram Nawaz of Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI) on July 25.

Mian Muhammad Aslam who is also central naib ameer of JI has been awarded MMA ticket from NA-53 and NA-54 from where he will be facing the PTI chairman Imran Khan and ex MNA Asad Umar respectively. The PML-N is yet to decided it candidate from the same constituency from where former Prime Minister Sardar Mehtab Ahmad Khan have submitted their nomination papers.

From NA-54 (old NA-48) from where 20% of votes transferred to NA-53 following delimitation, Mian Aslam is likely to face Anjum Aqeel Khan of PML-N. The PML-N is already facing rifts from this constituency as two deputy mayor Syed Zeedshan Ali Naqvi and Azam Khan who have already been opposing likely nomination of Anjum Aqeel Khan. Zeeshan Naqvi commonly known as Shahni Shah himself is aspirant to contest from NA-54.

The JI leader who also spearheading election campaign of alliance of five religious parties in Islamabad, during the press conference on Monday claimed that the MMA candidates would repeat it 2002 general elections’ performance.

He said other political parties were facing differences within their party set up over nomination of candidates from Islamabad whereas the religious parties had resolved all issues relating to general elections.