PTI fails to woo Maulana Fazl

JUI-F chief reluctant to join hands with political foe

PESHAWAR:

The PTI has been unable to convince JUI-F President Maulana Fazlur Rehman to join the anti-government movement while the central leadership of his party opposed its chief joining hands with its old rival.

The Maulana has informed a PTI delegation about his reservations and asked for written assurances.

A two-day meeting of the JUI-F central council to be held in Islamabad on Friday (today) will decide if the party will join hands with the PTI in the future or not.

Speaking on the contacts with the PTI, the JUI-F chief said talks were held with those who had any authority.

He added that his ties to the PTI were only limited to “exchanging pleasantries”.

However, sources said the PTI was still attempting to convince the Maulana to join the anti-government movement.

PTI leader and former National Assembly speaker Asad Qaiser is busy trying to win over the JUI-F chief.

Similarly, Pashtoonkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP) chairman Mahmood Khan Achakzai, the chief of the opposition alliance Tehreek Tahafuz Ayeen-e-Pakistan (TTAP), is also holding meetings with the Maulana.

Sources within the JUI-F said neither the party’s central leadership had recommended to its president to join hands with the PTI, nor was the Maulana looking forward to it.

They added that Fazl had agreed to hold discussions with an authorised delegation of the PTI and sought written assurances on the matters on which reservations had been raised.

When the JUI-F chief was asked what answer he had given to PTI’s Qaiser, he replied that there was still time.

According to the sources, the issue of joining hands with the PTI will be taken up during the meeting of the JUI-F’s central council.

They added that the PTI would be informed about the JUI-F’s central council’s decision.

Earlier, Qaiser met with the Maulana to form a political committee, looking forward to address mutual concerns and outline future political strategies in the wake of the government announcing the launch of a new initiative -- ‘Operation Azm-e-Istehkam’ later rebranded as ‘Vision Azm-e-Istehkam’ after backlash from the opposition – aimed at eliminating terrorism across the country.

The two leaders expressed concern over the country’s political situation, particularly the deteriorating law and order in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.

They stressed the need for political parties to play a significant role in establishing peace in the province, rejecting military operations as a solution.