The Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) on Thursday is said to have has ‘advised’ Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) to replace Opposition Leader in the National Assembly Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan with some ‘reasonable’ person if it wants to succeed in its plan to form a grand anti-government alliance.
The advice, according to officials in both parties, was conveyed by JUI–F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman to a two-member delegation of the PML-N that held a meeting with him on Thursday.
The meeting between Fazl and PML-N leaders — Senator Ishaq Dar and MNA Sardar Mehtab Ahmed Khan Abbasi — took place after an exchange of harsh statements between Nisar and the JUI-F leadership.
The interaction lasted for one hour, after which both sides tried to give an impression that they had resolved their differences amicably and wanted to work together in the future.
But the anger was visible from both sides’ statements after the meeting.
“I feel hurt by the statement of Chaudhry Nisar about my party… he should not have used such words against us,” Fazl said, commenting on the leader of the opposition assertion that the JUI-F was playing a ‘dubious’ role in the committee that will appoint a new Chief Election Commissioner (CEC).
“The government will take advantage of divisions in the opposition,” Fazl added.
What followed was even clearer. The officials of his party were more hostile in their statements.
“We don’t recognise him (Nisar) as opposition leader. He is not worthy of the position. He is a spoiler and has been a cause for the opposition being in disarray in four years,” Maulana Amjad Khan, the spokesperson for Fazl, told The Express Tribune. Maulana Ghafoor Haideri also came up with a similar statement, saying Nisar was a person behind the bickering of opposition groups.
A couple of PML-N leaders privy to the meeting also confirmed this, but did not want to be named. Sardar Mehtab Abbasi could not be contacted on his mobile despite several attempts.
The controversy between the two opposition groups was triggered by JUI-F’s decision to vote in favour of the government’s candidate for chairman of a parliamentary committee on the appointment of a new CEC.
JUI-F’s Maulana Ghafoor Haideri voted in favour of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader Religious Affairs Minister Syed Khursheed Shah when the 12-member panel elected him chairman on Tuesday.
Nisar reacted angrily, arguing that Haideri should not have voted for the government candidate because he was the member of the panel on the opposition’s strength. He threatened to write a letter to Speaker National Assembly Dr Fehmida Mirza to replace Haideri with another PML-N member. In the 12-strong body has five members from the PML-N – but Haideri’s vote was decisive to help PPP elect its nominee.
The appointment of the new CEC is key in the country’s fluid political horizon not only in the context of the next parliamentary polls but also because the person appointed to the position could be deciding the fate of Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani in the aftermath of his conviction by the Supreme Court in a contempt case.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 18th, 2012.
COMMENTS (20)
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mualana sab was a great politician he know that what to do in what time he was very loyal to the country . these american of politcan pml-n and ppp will destroy this contry
No matter what, PML (N) can’t outbid PPP for JUI (F) courtship. JUI (F) is always with those who are in power. These power monger mollahs of JUI (F) have no regard for anything but power. They play dirty game of Zardari and will always find an excuse to support whoever is in power.
Maulana is the mos shrewd politician in Pakistan lie has a small but real political base he is more civilised than hooligans of PMLN , he has an aura around him.he should be respected as compared to one of the most ill behaved politicians in the whole world, Mr Nisar khan ,
PML-N in minority is a bully. It shows what would happen when they are in majority?
mullah Fazal please give us a break. Enough of you and your hypocracy. disgusting.
Moulana is a dubious person and his politics have always centered around his personal gains. He knows the art of exploiting every situation to his personal advantage.
Poor Maulana is left all alone.and has become totally laawaris. The government doesn't require his help (thanks to PMLQ and MQM), establishment has use for him and he does not see any gain in joining with the opposition. True opportunist and hypocrite
Both, JUI-F and PMLn are playing with poor people sentiments.
@Imran: if isolation resulted due to some solid stance! then good to be isolated.
My dear maulana! you are a true ibn-ul-waqt. You were a friendly opposition to a dictator for five years and now a helping hand to the present corrupt regime when they are in need of you. The soul of great Mufti Mehmood would be would be feeling ashamed by your opportunistic politics. Your own previous allies of MMA dont trust you anymore due to your shameful antics.
My advice to PMLn, learn some basic rules of politics from Maulana . . . (;-)
You will find Maulana sab in every government, no wonder who is rulling. if christan`s starts rulling, than Maulana sab will find a way to be a part of that goverment as well. he is reaaly a double faced person.
Agree for the first time in my life with Chaudhry Nisar: JUI indeed is a hypocrite party. Blaming Zardari for all ills and then voting for his nominee. Disgusting politics Maulana.
Although i seriously have a disliking for jui f but they have a valid point about nisar. But my advice for pml n would be dont trust maulanna fazlur rehman
If two persons were not in PML-N (Ch Nisar and Shahbaz Sharif), PML-N would not have been this isolated.
There is no difference between PML-N and JUI-F. Both are playing dirty game on the cost of poor people of Pakistan.
Mindless opposition with mindless leadership. While signing the 20th amendment they could not foresee JUI selling off itself like..........., no wonder
The more the price of diesel..........the better the services for the govt provided by the maulana sb.
One opportunist is seeking help of other opportunist.