Islamabad: Differences among Pakistan's hardline Islamic religious parties have come to the fore hardly a month after their significant victory in the general elections with Jamat Islami (JI), main component of the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA) alliance, objecting to the Jamat Ulema Islami (JUI) nominating its candidate for Chief Minister's post of NWFP (North West Frontier Province).

Much to the surprise of the alliance partners, JI has publicly expressed its opposition to JUI's nomination of its local leader Akram Khan Durrani as the NWFP Chief Minister.

JI, in a statement said, Durani's nomination was not valid till it was approved by the MMA's central committee which was scheduled to meet today.

While voicing its reservations, JI, however, has not outlined its specific objections. The MMA is composed of six religious parties and factions. While JI was the biggest among the six, JUI faction led by Maulana Fazlur Rehman has emerged as the biggest party by winning large number of seats for the national and provincial assemblies from its strongholds in NWFP and Baluchistan provinces bordering Afghanistan.

PTI