No APC until JUI-F’s concerns are addressed: Haideri

All does not appear okay in the opposition camp as the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) has said that holding an all parties conference or calling a Rehbar Committee meeting would be completely pointless until the JUI-F’s concerns regarding the seriousness of PPP and PML-N to run a movement against the incumbent government are addressed.

Talking to The Express Tribune, JUI-F Senator Abdul Ghafoor Haideri said that what guarantee do they have that this time around both the main opposition parties – PPP and PML-N – will stand their ground and not do politics of compromise as was done during the Azadi March.

He said that the roles of both the opposition parties were questionable within the house and outside, adding that the kind of opposition shown by both these parties had never been witnessed before.

Referring to the Azadi March in which the PPP and the PML-N only extended symbolic support, virtually abandoning the JUI-F in their pursuit to take the government down, the senator said that it will be pointless for the JUI-F to again gather a million of its supporters in Islamabad or launch a long march, if both parties do not participate in it.

He said that they had called a JUI-F parliamentary committee meeting on August 12 to deliberate on the issue, adding that only after the parliamentary meeting, they would call the Rehbar Committee meeting.

“The JUI-F wants to move ahead with all opposition parties by its side. Recently, Shehbaz Sharif has apologised to the JUI-F on the floor of the house and acknowledged its role on opposition benches, which shows maturity on part of the opposition leader,” Haideri said. “There are weaknesses in the opposition parties, as witnessed in parliament recently and these weaknesses need to be addressed by all opposition parties before planning any serious movement against the incumbent government.”

On the other hand, PML-N MNA Javeed Latif said, “Our party has taken a principled decision to take this incompetent government down … for good. There are no two opinions about this.”

He said that the PML-N had announced its support for the JUI-F’s Azadi March, but then there were two opinions within the party about the kind of support the party would extend to the JUI-F movement.

He said that the PML-N wants to run a movement to oust this government and for the purpose it will put its plan forward in the APC.

Eventually, the decision taken in APC would prevail and would be accepted by all parties, he added. Regarding JUI-F’s concerns, he said that every party on the opposition benches has a different ideology and a different political manifesto, so having any difference of opinion was very logical.

Latif said that to the best of his knowledge, the Rehbar committee meeting would be held next week, whereas according to PPP leader Chaudary Manzoor, the Rehbar Committee meeting was expected this week. It is pertinent to mention here that prior to Eid, all the three main opposition parties claimed that the Rehbar committee meeting would be held this week.