Award of ticket for PK-32 triggers fissures in MMA

MANSEHRA: The differences have surfaced in the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA) after former MPA Ibrar Hussain Tanoli quit Jamaat-i-Islami and joined Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl to avail ticket of the recently revived religious alliance in constituency PK-32.

Tanoli, who had joined Jamaat-i-Islami some three months ago after quitting Qaumi Watan Party, met JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman and announced to join the party. Maulana Saeed Abdullah, district information secretary of the JUI-F, confirmed to the media that his party awarded the ticket for PK-32 to Tanoli.

"We have no differences with the JI as Tanoli approached us and sought the MMA ticket and we awarded him the ticket and the former should not mind it," said Abdullah. He said as per the MMA tickets awarding formula to aspirants of component parties, the JI contender would be awarded ticket only for PK-31 and rest of four provincial assemblies and two national assemblies' seats in the district would go to the JUI-F.

"We have serious reservations over awarding MMA ticket to Tanoli and will approach the central Shurah of the MMA against the decision," said an office-bearer of JI. Also in the day, former provincial minister Habibur Rehman Tanoli quit the JUI-F, saying he was no more part of his party and now he would run for PK-32 as an independent contender.