Member parties to quit federal, provincial govts as MMA takes off

KARACHI - The defunct coalition of religio-political parties - Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA) — has been restored after five parties joined hands on Wednesday to contest 2018 general elections from a single platform.

The decision, which has been agreed by the constituent parties in November, was endorsed during a meeting at the residence of Jamiat Ulema-i-Pakistan (JUP) chief Shah Ovais Noorani. The meeting was attended by Maulana Fazlur Rehman of the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl, Sirajul Haq of the Jamaat-i- Islami (JI), Allama Sajid Mir of Jamiat Ahle Hadith (JAH) and Allama Sajid Naqvi of Tehreek-i-Islami (TI).

The member parties of the MMA also reached an agreement that those MMA members which are part of coalition governments at the federation and in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan would leave coalitions within 30 days.

Under another decision, the MMA member would contest next general election with its previous election symbol, book.

The MMA will announce the names of its office bearers and members of the working committee within a month, while a steering committee will also be formed to draft the manifesto of the alliance.

Next meeting of the alliance would be held in Balochistan with a demand regarding recover of all missing persons.

Talking to media, JUI-F chief Maulana Fazl said that the MMA would contact other religious parties to enhance the coalition after the names of the officer-bearers are decided.

Sirajul Haq said that all forms of government had been tested in Pakistan, adding that “solution to all our problems lies in Nizam-i-Mustafa,” Dawn news quoted.

However, Maulana Samiul Haq-led JUI, which was also part of MMA when it emerged on the country’s political horizon during the 2002 general elections, did not join the revival as he has made an alliance with Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).

The MMA coalition had ruled Khyber Pakhtunkhwa till 2007. Later it went inactive due to an internal split.

Before 2013 polls, the JUI-F made efforts to restore it but the JI emir Syed Munawwar Hasan avoided becoming part of it.