Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) leadership seems to have developed an aggressive election strategy as the party has managed to break the ranks of three mainstream political parties in Khyber Pukhtunkhwa (KP) and has awarded tickets to well-connected candidates contesting for most national and provincial assembly seats.
Maulana Fazlur Rehman himself intends to contest for three national assembly seats where as his younger brother is running from two provincial assembly constituencies. Furthermore, former chief minister Akram Khan Durrani will be running for a national assembly seat as well as a KP provincial assembly seat.
While it may be premature to suggest Fazl’s intentions, but from all accounts, the JUI-F leader is eying the post of chief executive in the capital while his brother is hoping the same for the KP province.
Only Akram Khan Durrani seems to be a serious contender for JUI-F’s election strategy as billionaire Haji Ghulam failed to get a ticket and Azam Swati left the party to join Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).
Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) remains a strong threat to JUI-F, especially in Dera Ismail Khan and its adjoining districts of Tank and Lakki Marwat.
Former deputy speaker Faisal Karim Khan Kundi will be PPP’s candidate for the national assembly seat of Dera Ismail Khan. PPP’s Humayoon Saif Ullah Khan would contest against Fazl in Lakki Marwat. The PPP leadership is yet to nominate its candidate against Fazl on the third national assembly seat from Tank. However, Faisal Karim Kundi intends to contest against Fazl in Tank.
Furthermore, the JUI-F has accommodated most new comers to the party on national and provincial assembly seats, notably Munawar Khan and Malik Imran who were awarded tickets for provincial assembly seats in Lakki Marwat. Moreover, Malik Riaz was awarded a ticket for Bannu, Javed Khattak for Karak, Attique Ur Rahman in Hangu, Ghulam Habib Khan in Kohat, Zarin Gul at Torghar and several others.
Most of these candidates joined the party in haste, allegedly without even being aware of the party’s past, its manifesto and ideologies. However, they were awarded tickets based on their popularity.
The JUI-F has already terminated its contacts with PPP and Jamaat Islami for an electoral alliance. However, the JUI-F, through a committee, engaged in negotiations with Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and PTI.
So far PPP’s Anwar Saif Ullah Khan is opposed to the idea of a seat-to-seat arrangement between PPP and ANP. However, the aggressive election tactics by JUI-F may force him to review the decision.
While PML-N is focusing its election campaign for the northern regions of Hazara and Malakand, PPP is striving for campaigning with those demanding a separate Hazara province.