Thaw in PTI and JUI-F relations

PTI chairman gives nod to initiate dialogue with political parties

The two bitter political arch-rivals, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F), on Thursday finally sat together to discuss the ongoing political situation in the country and initiate dialogue among the political forces.

In what is being seen as a huge political U-turn, the PTI leaders, including Asad Qaiser, Ali Muhammad Khan, and Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif, approached JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman at his residence with the consent of PTI Chairman Imran Khan and the permission of the party’s core committee to lower tensions between the two sides, especially, when the PTI chief is in jail and the general elections are just around the corner.

Both the PTI and the JUI-F have been at loggerheads with one another for a long time with Imran and PTI leaders publically calling Maulana Fazl “diesel” but Thursday’s meeting, which was held to offer condolences on the demise of JUIF chief’s mother in-law, was the first formal contact between the two sides after Imran gave a nod to move ahead.

“We met Maulana Sahib with the consent of Imran Khan and permission of PTI’s core committee as unnecessary tense situation is neither in our favour nor causing any damage to the other side is; it’s time to sit together and discuss issues,” Barrister Saif shared with The Express Tribune.

Generally, Barrister Saif said, “Khan has given a nod to meet different political parties and left things up to the core committee to decide further.”

He said the party now felt that political issues could be settled peacefully without resorting to harsh tone against opponents.

To a question, Barrister Saif said that neither the PTI nor the JUI-F specifically mentioned Imran Khan’s name in the meeting as things were discussed in general.

The PTI leader while sharing that the two sides generally discussed about the ongoing political situation said that the events taking place after May 9, elections, political situation in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Kashmir and Palestine issues, repatriation of Afghan nationals and relations with Afghanistan came under discussion.

He said the PTI and the JUI-F felt that the issue of repatriation of Afghan nationals should be handled with utmost care as any tension between Pakistan and Afghanistan would hurt K-P the most.

Saif refuted the notion that the two sides met to explore the possibility of forming a new political alliance similar to the PDM, seat adjustment in the upcoming elections or any strategy to work as political allies before or after the polls, saying it’s too early to discuss about such things.

“Not only it’s too early but illogical too to contemplate on these things in the first formal meeting where several other people were also present,” he said.

To a question about offering Namaz behind Maulana Fazl and that too keeping in the view the sentiments that the PTI and its leadership had for him, Saif quipped: “We only offered Namaz behind a prayer leader.” He added political issues were separate from the optics being discussed on media.

During the discussion, he revealed that the PTI leaders lauded Maulana Fazl’s statement that his opponent’s hands shouldn’t be tied and all political parties should have a level-playing field, saying adopting a reconciliatory tone was necessary to move ahead. “Tense situation should be tactfully eased; we don’t want fights when things can be settled politely,” he said.

Soon after the meeting between the PTI and Maulana Fazl, a flurry of meetings took place at the latter’s residence as interim Interior Minister Sarfraz Bugti and PML-N’s Khurram Dastgir also met the JUI-F chief to offer condolences and discuss the ongoing political situation in the country.

The interior minister while talking to The Express Tribune said that he had gone to offer condolences and discussed some security concerns.

Following the meeting, a statement from the JUI-F stated that Maulana Fazl and Bugti discussed political issues and security concerns.

Recently, the JUI-F’s political gathering came under an attack, killing and injuring dozens of party workers and leaders.

Thursday’s meetings have come on the heels of Maulana Fazl’s meeting with Pakistan Peoples Party Parliamentarian (PPPP) President Asif Ali Zardari, Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani and PML-N’s Ishaq Dar, among several others.

The JUI-F chief is the head of the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) and his party was a key ally in the PML-N led government, which ended in Aug 2023.

Meanwhile, JUI-F spokesperson Aslam Ghauri shared with The Express Tribune that the biggest development of the day was that the PTI had come to meet Maulana Fazl, saying it was an effort to build up relations between the JUI-F and the PTI.

He emphasised that the meeting’s purpose was to offer condolence but political discussion also took place, saying: “What do politicians do when they meet up – they discuss politics.”

PTI Central Information Secretary Raoof Hasan was also approached for comments but he was busy in a meeting.