Govt has left no room for talks: Fazl

ISLAMABAD:

Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman on Tuesday said the government had left no room for political negotiations and urged a joint political agenda through an All-Parties Conference (APC).

Speaking to the media after a meeting with other opposition leaders, Maulana Fazlur Rehman said the country's political situation was suffering from an imbalance and that various proposals had emerged regarding the government's attitude.

He said democratic and political forces believed in negotiations, but the government had left no room for dialogue.

Opposition Leader in the Senate Allama Raja Nasir Abbas, former National Assembly speaker Asad Qaiser and other opposition leaders met Fazl at his residence to discuss negotiations and the proposed APC.

The meeting was also attended by Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haidri, Maulana Lutfur Rehman, Muhammad Aslam Ghouri, Senator Kamran Murtaza and Akhunzada Hussain Yousafzai.

Fazl said he had been invited to participate in the All-Parties Conference and would consult his party before deciding on participation. He said the APC should come up with a joint agenda after consultation among all political parties.

The JUI-F chief said holding a long march was everyone's democratic right and the government should not create hurdles in the PTI's long march.

He also said governor's rule or the imposition of an emergency in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa would not resolve the problems, adding that a national-level consultation was needed to eliminate terrorism.

Allama Raja Nasir Abbas said everyone was a son of Pakistan and could not remain indifferent to the problems confronting the country. He said politicians stood against a one-man show and would pursue a joint political struggle.

Salman Akram Raja said the relationship of coercion between the people and the state in the country must come to an end. He added that, in the case of Imran Khan, the struggle was for the Constitution and the law, and that this struggle had to be won.