Coalition woes: JUI-F opts for silence despite provocation

PPP Balochistan chief Sadiq Umrani terms it a ‘terrorist party’.

ISLAMABAD:

The Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F), which parted ways with the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) led federal government, has opted to remain silent despite continuous provocation by its Balochistan chapter who labelled the JUI-F as a “terrorist party”.

The JUI-F is the main coalition partner of the PPP in the Balochistan Assembly despite relinquishing the cabinet in the centre after blaming the government that it failed to fulfil its promises. The PPP Balochistan chapter president Mir Sadiq Umrani accused the JUI-F of running militant camps in Balochistan and termed it a “terrorist party”.

The JUI-F, paying no heed to the allegations levelled by Umrani, has not responded yet, said the party’s Secretary General Maulana Ghafoor Haidri.

“We will keep our focus on the politics of national interest rather than indulging ourselves in a blame game in the province,” he asserted. Although the JUI-F does not have a stronghold in the Balochistan Assembly, it still has no plans to quit the eight ministries it holds in the Balochistan Assembly.

Senior Minister Maulana Abdul Wasey has planned to take the matter to court and challenge the allegations.

Party workers say that JUI-F, seeking cooperation of smaller political parties sitting on the opposition benches in the Upper House of Parliament, is seriously considering revisiting its policies as well. However, the party workers did not rule out the impression that the party has become isolated after quitting the PPP-lead coalition in the centre.

Meanwhile, political observers believe that the JUI-F would not mount pressure on the government because party leaders want to stay in the government.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 19^th, 2011.