‘Give and take’: Fazl demands ‘lucrative’ housing ministry

JUI-F chief also asks for the leadership of Kashmir Committee and Council of Islamic Ideology.

ISLAMABAD:

Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman has demanded the housing and works portfolio, apart from the top slots of two important panels, in exchange for joining the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz government at the Centre.

Replying to last week’s invitation by incoming prime minister Nawaz Sharif, Fazl has asked the PML-N chief for the lucrative portfolio, alongside the chairmanship of the Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) for his party and the leadership of the Kashmir Committee (KC) for himself, sources privy to developments have told The Express Tribune.

So far, the PML-N leadership appears to be resisting Fazl’s demands and the two parties have yet to make breakthrough despite being engaged in talks for almost a week now.

“We have made it clear to JUI-F leadership that this time all portfolios will be awarded strictly on merit,” said a PML-N member speaking on condition of anonymity. He said his party has decided against any ‘give and take’ on ministries’ portfolios this time, even among its own members.



“It is also too early to make a decision on the chairmanship of CII and KC … their leadership is determined by the elected committee members later on,” said the PML-N official, adding that his party leadership had informed Fazl about their stance on the matter.

“JUI-F may well get the housing ministry on merit, so let the time come,” he said, expressing hope that Fazl would understand PML-N’s point of view and join the coalition in the Centre.

The Ministry of Housing and Works is considered one of the most important and ‘lucrative’ ministries since it deals with the allocation of government housing facilities and the planning of residential schemes. Under the PPP-led coalition government, JUI-F’s Rehmatullah Kakar kept the lucrative portfolio. His name was later associated with several land and housing scheme scams, although nothing against him has been proven.



In 2010, the National Accountability Bureau decided to investigate a case regarding the acquisition of 3,000 kanals of land near Islamabad’s Barakahu area for a federal government housing scheme by Kakar’s ministry at inflated prices. The JUI-F chief, however rushed to Kakar’s aid and refused to recognise NAB as a legitimate accountability body.

Maulana Fazl has also asked PML-N to include his party in the Balochistan coalition government and was lobbying for the seat of the chief minister.

“The Baloch and the coalition partners of PML-N in Balochistan are not ready to accept Fazl and his party in the provincial government,” said a PML-N member.

Fazl’s spokesperson Jan Achakzai has insisted that the meetings between the special committees of the two sides were underway and a breakthrough was likely before the session of National Assembly is summoned.

“Last round of talks between the committees thrashed out the remaining differences. Both parties have agreed upon most of policy priorities,” said Achakzai, denying that ministries came under discussion at this stage.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 26^th, 2013.