THE RISE OF ISLAMIST PARTIES
MILLI MUSLIM LEAGUE (MML)
Leader: Saifullah Khalid, supported by Mumbai attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed
Legal status: Banned in Pakistan for its association with Saeed Election status: Candidates registered under the Allah-hu-Akbar Tehreek are campaigning with Saeed’s image on their posters and election materials. 260 Candidates:
73 for National Assembly and
187 for provincial assemblies
TEHREEKELABAIK PAKISTAN (TLP)
Leader: Khadim Hussain Rizvi Legal status: Registered with Election Commission Election status: Candidates contesting under the TLP banner. 566
Candidates:
178 for National Assembly, 388 for provincial assemblies.
AHLESUNNAT WAL JAMAAT (ASWJ)
Leader: Maulana Mohammad Ahmad Ludhianvi
Legal status: Banned for being the political wing of militant group Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ), which has been allied with al-Qaeda and Islamic State and responsible for the killing of hundreds of Shias
Election status: Candidates are running under the banner Pakistan Rah-e-Haq, or as independents 150
Candidates: More than
MUTTAHIDA MAJLISEAMAL (MMA)
Leaders: Maulana Fazl-ur-Rehman, Sirajul Haq and Allama Sajid Naqvi Legal status: Most of the parties in the religious alliance are long-established and legally registered, except for the Tehreek-e-Islami Election status: Candidates from two major parties and more than a dozen small religious groups are contesting under the MMA alliance 595 Candidates: 191 for National Assembly, 404 for provincial assemblies