Religious parties forge poll alliance

lahore — Country’s religious-cum-political parties have formed a grand alliance to contest the 2018 general election under its banner.

Former federal minister for religious affairs during the last PPP government Hamid Saeed Kazmi has been elected the temporary head of ‘Nizam-i-Mustafa Grand Alliance’.

A five-member committee has been constituted to prepare the manifesto and constitution of the alliance. The alliance partners will meet on November 20 to finalise its manifesto.

The alliance has been formed in the backdrop of two religious outfits — Tahreek Labaik Ya Rasul Allah and Jamat-ud-Dawah’s Milli Muslim League — performing well in recently held by-poll in Lahore’s NA-120.

Prominent among those joined the alliance include the Sunni Ittehad Council, Jamiat Ulema-i-Pakistan (Noorani), Pakistan Sunni Tehreek and Jamat-e-Ahley Sunnat.

All the participants resolved that they would contest the next elections from the platform of the alliance so that the vote bank did not get divided. The central executive (Shura) of the alliance will decide about any electoral adjustments ahead of 2018 polls.

After their meeting, the representatives of these parties on Tuesday issued a declaration saying the alliance had not been formed either on the request or at the behest of “someone”.

“This is purely our own decision,” it said.

“The alliance will also rope in Tehreek Labaik Pakistan and Tehreek-e-Labaik Ya Rasul Allah,” it added.