PESHAWAR: Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA), an alliance of religio-political parties, will hold its first pre-election political power show on Ring Roadin Peshawar today (Sunday).

The announcement was made by MMA provincial vice-president Senator Mushtaq Ahmad Khan while speaking at a press conference in Peshawar Press Club on Saturday. Flanked by MMA leaders Dr Iqbal Khalil, Sabir Hussain Awan, Muzaffar Ali, Maulana Mirajuddin and Abdul Jalil Jan, Mushtaq Ahmad urged the people to support the alliance’s cause and ensure their participation in its public meeting.

He said that all arrangements had been finalised for the MMA’s public meeting to launch its poll campaign in a befitting manner. He said that MMA would start journey of its revolution with this event.

“We want to makePakistana more modern, developed and true welfare Islamic state,” the MMA leader said, adding that the alliance would start drive for a system where everyone would be able to get free and speedy justice.

Leader denies rift over distribution of poll tickets

He said that the politics of status quo had been nurtured since inception of the country wherein the country’s debts had escalated to a record level during the last 70 years.

He alleged that the rulers had secured loans in the name ofPakistanand accumulated them in their foreign accounts.

Mushtaq Ahmad said that corruption was rampant in the country and major issues like energy crisis, provision of drinking water, better health and education facilities to everyone and road infrastructure were still unresolved.

About the MMA manifesto, he said that the prime objectives of the alliance were to makePakistana true Islamic welfare country, eliminate interest-based economic system, raise core issues of Kashmir andPalestine and bring back the looted national wealth to the country.

Answering a question about deadlock over award of tickets, the MMA leader said that the alliance leaders had almost resolved the issue, adding that consensus had been developed on 90 per cent National Assembly and 80 per cent provincial assembly constituencies to award tickets to the aspiring candidates.

He said that the remaining issues about distribution of tickets would also be resolved amicably to announce the candidates’ names in the public meeting.

The MMA leaders said that workers of various political parties had started observing sit-ins outside their parties’ offices against distribution of tickets, but the MMA’s people were not facing such problems. He claimed that their alliance would sweep the coming elections.

About a possible seats adjustment with PPP in Peshawar, Abdul Jalil Jan said that all the decisions were taken by MMA in its meetings. He added that 95 per cent of the candidates were religious people who were in a strong position to emerge as winners.

Published in Dawn, June 24th, 2018