JHANG: Three candidates for as many NA constituencies of the district have joined hands to support each other.

Of them, Faisal Saleh Hayat is a PPP candidate for NA-114 (Shah Jewana-Athara Hazari); Sheikh Waqas Akram an independent candidate for NA-115 (Jhang urban), while Ameer Abbas Sial (son of former MNA Najaf Sial), is another independent candidate for NA-116 (Ahmedpur Sial-Shorkot).

The three experienced candidates during a meeting held on Wednesday decided to support each other as they have also a good vote bank in all constituencies. In the last elections of 2013, Jhang had five NA seats but in the new delimitation, two seats have been abolished for the elections of 2018. New constituencies have chunks of strongholds of the three candidates.

Mr Hayat has vote bank and followers of Shah Jewena shrine in NA-115 rural areas.

He announced supporting Mr Akram in NA 115. Mr Akram responded with asking his supporters in his previous constituency to vote for Mr Sial in NA-116. Mr Sial responded the gesture by asking their supporters in Garh Maharaja (part of their previous constituency) to support Mr Hayat.

The three contenders in a media talk also announced full support to each other and urged their voters and supporters to work for the alliance.

The alliance has already succeeded in getting elected Babar Sial as district council chairman.

In NA-114, Mr Hayat is facing Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf’s (PTI’s) Sahibzada Mehboob Sultan and independent candidate Alisha Iftikhar. In NA-115, Mr Akrma will face Ahmed Ludhianvi, PTI’s Ghulam Bibi Bharwana and independent candidate Sughra Imam. In NA-116, Mr Sial will face PTI’s Sahibzada Nazeer Sultan and independent candidate Saima Bharwana.

Published in Dawn, July 5th, 2018