Shia Ulema Council and four other parties announce revival of alliance

Shia Ulema Council and four allied parties have formally revived the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA) — an alliance of religio-political parties that had emerged on the country’s political horizon by contesting the 2002 general elections. Deobandi parties JUIF and JI dominate the alliance.

However, the names of its office-bearers and members of the working committee will be announced within one month. The decision to revive the alliance was announced on Wednesday by Jamiat Ulema-i-Pakistan (JUP) chief Shah Ovais Noorani at his residence in Clifton where central leadership of the six component parties of the alliance were present.
They include Fazlur Rehman of the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUIF), Sirajul Haq of the Jamaat-i- Islami (JI), Allama Sajid Mir of Jamiat Ahle Hadith (JAH) and Allama Sajid Naqvi of Shia Ulema Council and Islami Tehreek Pakistan.
Announcing other decisions made at a meeting of the parties held prior to the presser, Mr Noorani said that the MMA would take part in the general elections next year with its previous election symbol (book) and its manifesto would be drafted within one month.
The meeting also constituted a steering committee for the purpose.
Members to quit coalitions in a month
An Ulema and Mashaikh board would also be constituted under the alliance.
According to the JUP-N leader, demanding recovery of all missing persons, participants of the meeting also decided to hold the next session in Balochistan.
Under another decision those MMA members which are part of coalition governments at the Centre and in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan would quit the coalitions within one month.
Fazl said that the MMA would also invite other religious parties to join the alliance which would launch a mass contact campaign after the announcement of names of its office-bearers.
Sirajul Haq said that all systems of government had been tested in the country, adding that “solution to all our problems lies in Nizam-i-Mustafa”.
When the MMA was formed in 2002, it also held in its fold the JUI-F’s arch-rival led by Samiul Haq who has now formed alliance with Imran Khan led PTI.