Three independent MNA-elects from Federally Administrated Tribal Areas (FATA) on Wednesday joined Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N). At the same time, four independent candidates decided to retain their status, while Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) each bagged one independent candidate.
Sources in Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) said that Nazir Khan, elected from NA-40, Ghalib Khan of NA-41 and Shahab-ud-Din Khan from NA-44 joined the PML-N.
The four independent MNAs include Bilalur Rehman from NA-36, Bismillah Khan from NA-43, Syed Ghazi Gulab Jamal from NA-39 and Shah Gee Gulab Afridi from NA-45. However, they said that they would support PML-N while retaining their status. They would also vote for Nawaz Sharif in the process of voting for prime minister.
Independent candidate Jamalud Din, who was elected from NA-42 constituency has selected JUI-F as his platform, whereas Qaisar Jamal elected from NA-47 constituency joined the PTI.
Sources said that all these candidates had submitted the certificate regarding their affiliation with their respective political parties to the ECP.
It is pertinent to mention here that the ECP has ordered recount of votes in NA-37 while re-polling would be held in NA-38 and NA-46.