PESHAWAR: The Jamiat-e-Ulema Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) on Tuesday announced its support for the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s (PML-N) candidate for the by-poll in the city’s NA-4 constituency which is scheduled for October 6.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) PML-N President Amir Muqam and KP JUI-F chief Gul Naseeb Khan made the announcement in a joint press conference at the provincial secretariat.
Muqam thanked JUI-F and Qaumi Watan Party (QWP) Chairman Aftab Sherpao for withdrawing their candidates in PML-N’s favour. The two also criticised Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan for neglecting the province while continuing with the slogan of change.
According to sources, Muqam and National Assembly Deputy Speaker Murtaza Javed Abbasi met JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman and convinced him to support PML-N candidate Nasir Musazai in the by-election and withdraw his party’s candidate Khalid Waqar. Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leaders Humayun Khan, Faisal Karim Kundi and Sardar Ali also met with Fazlur Rehman in an attempt to get his support for their candidate Asad Gulzar but failed.
The seat had fallen vacant after lawmaker Gulzar Khan of PTI passed away due to a heart ailment. In the 2013 general elections, Gulzar had won the constituency on the PTI ticket by garnering around 55,000 votes. PML-N’s Nasir Khan Moosazai was the runner-up after getting around 20,000 votes.
