The Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazal (JUI-F) is a right-wing party with ideological links to the Deobandi orientation of Islam.

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The JUI contests elections in the tribal areas, and is a coalition partner of the ruling Pakistan People's Party.

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At the last election, in 2008, the ANP scooped over a third of the 99 contested seats in the provincial parliament, compared with just 11 for the JUI-F.

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Mr. Shah said that JUI-F was particularly strong in the south of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and predicted it would make gains along with Pakistan Muslim League-N, the conservative party of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, which is popular in the non-Pashtun parts of the province.

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