Centenary plans: As milestone nears, JUI-F still without spokesman

Party officials offer differing views on the issue

ISLAMABAD: Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam - Fazl (JUI-F), which has been part of several federal and provincial governments, has no official website or spokesman.

The party plans to celebrate its centenary or 100th anniversary in April next year but seems least interested in broadcasting its stance to the media as it neither has an official spokesman nor an official website.

JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman announced last week that the biggest religious party of Pakistan was launched before partition and was going to celebrate its centenary in April next year. He said that a large convention would be held in Peshawar for which international religious scholars will be invited. Maulana Fazl stated that he will brief the media himself through a news conference in this regard, if needed.

Over the years the JUI-F has been a coalition partner of every government. It is currently a coalition partner of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz in the centre. In 2002, the party had won the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provincial elections as part of a coalition of religious parties, the Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal. Hafiz Hussain Ahmed was JUI-F’s information secretary at the time but got sidelined because he openly criticised the party over different issues, explained a party official who requested anonymity.

JUI-F officials have differing stances over the issue as few officials believe that there is no need to appoint an official spokesman as party lawmakers could be contacted directly to discuss any relevant issue.

JUI-F Senator Hafiz Hamdullah was of the view that there is no need for a spokesman stating that the party’s spokesmen usually get involved in their own publicity instead of working for the party.

However, Maulana Muhammad Amjad, the party’s interim secretary general, said that not having an official spokesman or a website despite being the country’s oldest party was a weakness. He added that several office-bearers have pointed out the need for establishing an active media cell, including a social media cell.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 7^th, 2016.