SWABI: Jamiat Ulema-i-IslamFazl`s efforts to woo Nazaryati group central president Maulana Khalil Ahmad Mukhlis and former JUI-F Khyber Pakhtunkhwa general secretary Najeem Khan Advocate back into the party fold seem to have failed, Dawn learnt here on Tuesday.

Maulana Mukhlis, also a former MNA, and Najeem Advocate had said adieu to the party during the then MMA government in KP after developing differences with the incumbent JUI-F central naib emir Maulana Fazal Ali.

Maulana Mukhlis plans to contest the 2018 elections from the JUI-N platform, sources said.

In the last two elections, the Maulana contested election from NA-13, Swabi-II and PK-35, Swabi-V, and each time he failed,but succeeded to cripple the JUI-F candidates.

`Our main objective in the past elections was to ensure that JUI-F candidates did not win, said an aid of Maulana Mukhlis.

`Our strategy worked in the past and it will work in the future as well.

About five months back when JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman met Maulana Mukhlis to offer Fateha for the departed soul of one of his relatives, local political pundits believed that Maulana Mukhlis would rejoin JUI-F soon. But that did not happen.

When contacted, Najeem Advocate told Dawn that they along with their supporters would never join the JUI-F as they had rendered huge sacrifices for strengthening the party not only in the district but in the province as well.

Sources in JUI-F said Maulana Mukhlis had earlier told themthat if JUI-F chief came to his residence he would quit JUI-N and rejoin their caravan once again.

JUI-F central naib emir Maulana Fazal Ali expressed the hope that the JUI-N leaders would rejoin their mother party.

DEATH CONDOLED: Hussian Nawaz, the prime minister`s son, visited Topi city on Tuesday to offer Fateha for the departed soul of the wife of PML-N leader Pervez Khan.

Mr Khan is also a leading businessman and founder of defunct Gadoon Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Mr Nawaz reached Topi city in a helicopter and remained with the bereaved family for some time.

He expressed deep sympathies with the bereaved family.

He also prayed for the departed souland courage to the bereaved to bear the irreparable loss with patience.