PESHAWAR -  Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Sami has formally announced it will form an electoral alliance with Imran Khan-led Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, instead of joining its old partners under the banner of Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal.

This announcement was made by JUI-S chief Maulana Samiul Haq soon after presiding over a meeting of the party’s central Shura held here on Wednesday at Pardah Bagh.

“As the central Shura of the JUI-S has approved, I am announcing that my party will make an electoral alliance with PTI and not with the MMA in the forthcoming elections because the latter had had a grim history during its 2002-2007 government in the then NWFP,” he said.

The party’s central Shura thoroughly considered all options, including having an alliance with PTI or joining the MMA, but, after a series of discussions, it was decided to go with PTI in the next general elections, Maulana Sami said. He said the new alliance would be a milestone in the national politics.

Attended by its members from all the four provinces, Islamabad and Fata, the central Shura discussed in detail the restoration of MMA, its role and performance in its previous tenure, particularly its working for Islamisation and protection of religious seminaries, but nobody was satisfied with its way of governance, because MMA had never opted to implement its manifesto, the JUI-S chief said.

“That is why the JUI-S Shura totally rejected the idea of joining MMA and expressed satisfaction over my meeting with Imran Khan recently held at Bani Gala and decided to contest coming general polls together with the PTI under an electoral alliance,” Samiul Haq said.

Criticising the previous role of MMA, Samiul Haq said it had failed to come up to expectations of the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He was of the view that JUI-S was ready to go along with those who wanted supremacy of the Sharia.

Maulana Sami said the JUI-S would actively participate in the coming elections.

Condemning US President Donald Trump for announcing to recognise Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, he said it was a direct attack on the Muslim world. He urged the US president to withdraw his announcement.