ISLAMABAD / LAHORE: The Muttahida Majils-i-Amal (MMA) on Monday submitted a list of its candidates for National Assembly’s seats reserved for women and religious minorities to its central parliamentary board.

The alliance comprising Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl, Jamaat-i-Islami, Jamiat Ulema-i-Pakistan (Noorani), Islami Tehreek and Markazi Jamiat Ahle Hadith has submitted the names of James Iqbal, Pervaiz Masih, Aasiya Nasir, Hanif Lal, Akram Waqar Gill, Suresh Kumar, Younus Sohan, Shahzad Kundan, Nasir Masih and Sunil George.

An official of the JUI-F said that the seat allocations had been made on the basis of the component party’s strength in the outgoing assembly and its standing on the ground.

“The top position has gone to the JUI-F because of its ability to bag seats, but when we count on the basis of on-ground position the party has not much of standing in Punjab and Sindh,” the official said.

It is pertinent to mention that one minority seat is allocated to any party that has 27 MNAs, and the first three names on the list belong to the JUI-F, therefore if the MMA is able to bag more than 80 NA seats only JUI-F member Aasiya Nasir will become an MNA.

The same formula is applied for seats reserved for women.

“The top priority has given to the JUI-F followed by Jamaat-i-Islami,” said Allama Arif Wahidi, Secretary General of Islami Tehreek led by Allama Sajid Naqvi.

“We have a better standing in Balochistan and second standing in Punjab after JI as both the JUI-F and the JUP have limited presence there,” he added.

The Markazi Jamiat Ahle Hadith has been granted the last priority as it has presence in a few districts of Punjab only.

The MMA plans to field over 160 candidates for the NA seats and around 300 for the provincial assemblies.

Its provincial parliamentary boards have forwarded the final lists to the central parliamentary board, which is scheduled to meet on Tuesday and Wednesday in Islamabad to finalise the candidates.

MMA General Secretary Liaquat Baloch said provincial boards had finalised the names of 73 candidates from Punjab, 45 from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, including Fata, 35 from Sindh and nine from Balochistan for NA seats.

If central board fails to clear the deadlock over any seat then the matter would be referred to the MMA’s Supreme Council which comprises the heads of component parties.

Meanwhile, talking to Dawn Mr Baloch said the MMA did not require electoral alliance with the PML-N or PPP in KP-Fata to challenge the PTI. “JI and JUI-F together have received more votes in the elections, including the local bodies,” he said. “MMA is a winnable combination.”

He expressed the confidence over election results and said that the alliance has performed well in the past too.

Published in Dawn, June 12th, 2018