Samiul Haq confirms JUI-S, PTI have formed electoral alliance

NOWSHERA: Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Sami (JUI-S) chief Maulana Samiul Haq on Monday said that his party and the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) had formed an electoral alliance for contesting the next general election.

Talking to reporters in his hometown Akora Khattak, he said he and the PTI chief Imran Khan had agreed in principle in a meeting held in Islamabad to form the electoral alliance. He said the Defence of Pakistan Council would also be included in the alliance for the general election to be held in 2018.

Maulana Samiul Haq, who is head of the Darul Uloom Haqqania madrassa in Akora Khattak, Nowshera, said further meetings would be held with the PTI chief to chalk out the future course of action. He said he and Imran Khan had similar views on a range of national and international issues.

He said that during his recent meeting with the PTI chief, he highlighted the importance of including the Defence of Pakistan Council in the electoral alliance. He said that Imran Khan agreed with him and appreciated the suggestion.

The Maulana said that apparently the Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA), in case it is revived, would appear to be an alliance between just two religio-politico parties -- Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) and Jamaat-e-Islami (JI).

He pointed out that the small parties that were part of MMA were supporting the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N). "This is the reason the JUI-S decided to form an alliance with the PTI," he argued.

Maulana Samiul Haq said that Imran Khan appreciated the support and guidance of JUI-S provided to the PTI-led government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He appreciated the efforts of Chief Minister Pervez Khattak for bringing the JUI-S and PTI chief Imran Khan close.

It merits mentioning that Chief Minister Pervez Khattak, who is also political advisor to Imran Khan, had played a key role in forming the alliance between the PTI and JUI-S. Sources said that an unexpected visit earlier by Pervez Khattak to Darul Uloom Haqqania in Akora Khattak to hold one-on-one meeting with Maulana Samiul Haq paved the way for the electoral alliance between the two parties.

They said that Imran Khan and Maulana Samiul Haq had worked out the modalities for the electoral alliance. The sources said that Imran Khan had agreed to give representation to the JUI-S as per its strength in the national and provincial assemblies and also in the Senate after winning the upcoming election.

They said the PTI was thinking about making alliance with other political parties to get maximum support, particularly in Punjab, to challenge the PML-N there. Chief Minister Pervez Khattak was also using his political contacts in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab to form an alliance with anti-PML-N parties.