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ANP, JUI-F seek `seat adjustment, not alliance`

By Our Staff Reporter 2013-02-24
LAHORE, Feb 23: The Awami National Party (ANP) leadership has said that it will make seat adjustment with Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (Fazl) in various districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan or wherever required.

`We have also empowered our provincial and district bodies to make seat adjustments with other parties as well, including the PML-N and the PPP, except the Mutahidda Qaumi Movement in the general election,` ANP secretary-general Ehsaan Wyne told Dawn on Saturday.

He said his party wouldn`t make any alliance with the JUI-F or other parties and would restrict ourselves to only seat-adjustment policy.

He said since the party leadership had fully empowered its provincial and district heads to make seat adjustments with other parties, there would be no role of the central leadership in intervening to their affairs.

Mr Wyne said the seat ad-justment with the JUI-F or other religious parties (if needed) would help in combating terrorism in the country, mainly in the KP and Balochistan. `The JUI-F people are our companions and there is no harm if we join hands with them by making seat adjustment in various constituencies,` he said.

He said the ANP leadership might contact (if needed) with the Jamaat-i-Islami leadership for making seat adjustment in various constituencies.

He said since the ANP leaders had certain reservations about the MQM, the seat adjustment with this party in Sindh or other parts of the country was yet to be discussed.

He termed the ANP`s APC a successful event which was participated in by 24 politico-religious parties, including JUI-F and Jamaat-i-Ahle Sunnat.

He said the ANP would participate in the APC of JUI-F on Feb 28 subject to getting a formal invitation from Maulana Fazlur Rehman.