LAKKI MARWAT, April 19: The district chapter of Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) has decided to take an active part in the forthcoming by-election on PF-75, Lakki Marwat-II seat.

A meeting of the party held here on Saturday said that the decision to nominate JUI's candidate for the by-polls would be taken by the party’s provincial Majlis-i-Shura.

District amir Maulana Abdul Wahid Marwat chaired the meeting wherein matters pertaining to by-elections and possible electoral alliance with like-minded groups were discussed.

JUI-F’s district general secretary Jehangir Khan, joint secretary Maulana Abdul Haq, naib amir Haji Inyatullah, finance secretary Maulana Rab Nawaz and information secretary Hafiz Muhammad Jamshed advocate were among those who attended the meeting.

“After thorough discussion, a list of seven local leaders was finalised which will be sent to the provincial Majlis-i-Shura for awarding party ticket to a suitable candidate”, Hafiz Jamshed said. He added the list contained the names of former provincial minister Pir Dr Muhammad Khalid Raza Zakori, former MNA Naseer Muhammad Khan Maidadkhel, former MPA Malik Imran Khan Marwat and his brother Malik Noor Salim Khan, Maulana Muhammad Mohsin Shah, Maulana Maqbool Muhammad and Haji Inyatullah.

It is pertinent to mention here that Pir Zakori had contested elections for NA-27 on JUI ticket while Malik Noor Salim Khan backed by JUI-Kabir group alliance was an independent candidate for PF-75 in the Feb 18 polls, but both of them lost their seats to Humayun Saifullah Khan and Anwar Saifullah Khan, respectively.

Mr Jamshed said that the JUI-F would not let the field open for rival groups. He claimed that the religious party led by Maulana Fazlur Rehman had a dominant role in the local politics of Lakki Marwat district and it would show its power and strength by winning the upcoming by-elections.