MMA candidate withdrawn in favour of Shahbaz revolts

MINGORA: Confusion exists about the Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal's (MMA) nomination for NA-3, Swat, as the alliance withdrew its candidate Maulana Hujjatullah on Saturday and requested the relevant returning officer not to issue the ‘book’ symbol to him.

The JUI-F Swat general secretary Ishaq Zahid told The News that the party had withdrawn its NA-3 ticket for Maulana Hujjatullah after deciding to support Shahbaz Sharif in the constituency. He said the MMA leader Maulana Fazlur Rehman had already written a letter to the returning officer regarding withdrawal of the ticket for the MMA candidate. Hujjatullah, however, refused to withdraw the nomination papers and said he would contest elections at all costs. “I submitted the MMA ticket duly signed by Maulana Fazlur Rehman,” he said and added he would contest the election as an independent candidate. He said the returning officer had issued him the ‘clock’ symbol.

When contacted, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz provincial president Amir Muqam lauded the decision of Maulana Fazlur Rehman and thanked him. He said that after the support of MMA on NA-3, the PML-N president Shahbaz Sharif’s victory is certain with a big margin.