LAKKI MARWAT: Marwat Qaumi Ittehad (MQI), an electoral alliance formed by Saifullah brothers two years ago, has announced the names of candidates for the sole national and three provincial assembly constituencies in Lakki Marwat district.

The alliance’s president and former federal minister Salim Saifullah Khan announced the poll contenders at a press conference in Ghaznikhel on Friday.

He was flanked by former senator Osman Saiufullah Khan, PPP district president and former district nazim Iqbal Hussain Advocate, Ghaznikhel tehsil council chairman Zeeshan Mohammad Khan and JUI-Nazryati district chief Mufti Mohammad Khan Haqqani.

The former minister said that he would contest Feb 8 elections from NA-41.

Salim Saifullah says grouping aims to end people’s economic hardships

He said the aspirants for provincial assembly seats included Malik Najibullah Khan from PK-105, Dr Hisham Inamullah Khan from PK-106 and Anwar Saifullah Khan from PK-107.

Salim Saifullah said the alliance was formed keeping in view the backwardness of the area and deprivations of local people.

“In 2021, MQI swept local body elections as its candidates grabbed three top slots of tehsil chairmen,” he maintained, adding the triumphant history would be repeated in the coming elections.

He said MQI wanted to eliminate lawlessness, control unemployment and bring people out of economic hardship.

Criticising his political rivals, including JUI-F chief Maulana Fazalur Rehman, he said the Maulana wanted to see all his family members in the assemblies. He opposed the candidature of a son of the Maulana from Lakki NA seat, and asked him to contest elections from DI Khan, his home district.

He questioned the performance of JUI-F candidates and said their sole objective was to reach the power corridors to get contracts and kickbacks instead of uplifting the backward district.

He said the candidates affiliated with MQI would implement their uplift agenda if voted to power.

CRIMINALS ARRESTED: The police arrested two street criminals and seized mobile phones from them during a raid in Bannu on Friday.

Sub-divisional police officer Imran Aslam told reporters that taking notice of mobile phone snatching incidents, district police officer Iftekhar Shah tasked him to arrest the culprits.

“After tracing the two suspects a party of the city police raided a hideout and arrested both of them,” he said, identifying them as Saqib, a resident of Muslimabad Sukari, and Nabi Hasan of Ismailkhel. He said the cops recovered four snatched mobile phones from them.

Mr Imran said the arrested suspects had also shot at and injured a passerby during a mobile phone snatching attempt. He said the suspects used tosend their children into houses, and on knowing that no male member was present, they would enter the houses to loot mobile phones and other valuables from inmates at gunpoint.

Published in Dawn, January 13th, 2024