JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman.
ISLAMABAD:
Finance Minister Ishaq Dar contacted JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman on Saturday to seek support for his party’s presidential candidate Mamnoon Hussain. “Let’s first talk about the new political arrangement in Balochistan,” Maulana Fazl said in reply and the talks deadlocked.
Until the JUI-F is given a role in the Balochistan government, there would be no support for the PML-N candidate, said a JUI-F member who did not want to be quoted. “We have also turned down the PML-N offer for joining the federal cabinet,” he added.
The JUI-F’s Balochistan chapter has serious reservations over functioning of the present political set-up in the province. The party is an important stakeholder in the province and it believes a ‘new political contract’ is needed in view of the failing political, economic and security situation in the province, said the JUI-F leader. The new contract must feature the JUI-F, he added.
“The presidential candidate issue has been put on hold. It’s about future cooperation now,” he said. “Now, the ball is in the PML-N’s court.”
Jan Achakzai, the spokesperson for Maulana Fazl, said that his party has not taken a formal decision to support Mamnoon yet. However, he confirmed that the finance minister contacted the JUI-F chief.
A meeting of JUI-F’s core committee discussed the Balochistan chapter’s reservations and decided to take up the matter with the PML-N, said Achakzai.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 28th, 2013.
COMMENTS (9)
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who told molana that he is in any kind of negotiation position with the federal government?
Please do not fall for tricks of JUI-F.
some people never die, get sick, get injured or just disappear
@Pashtunyar: Actually there are two groups within PML-N as far as relationships with MQM is concerned. The group led by Ch Nisar is against any deal and alliance with MQM whereas the group led by Ishaq Dar is calling for an alliance with MQM to keep Karachi in order. Yesterday, Ishaq Dar's group clearly triumphed.
This shows how far in s**t a wrong advice can drag you. Had somebody advised mian sahib to postpone the elections after eid rather than before eid, this would not have been needed. PML-N just handed over a point of contest to PPP and her allies. Mian sahib needs to put right people in the advising role, especially on political front. Else, status quo will keep pushing him into criticism.
Dont understand why Ishaq Dar is traversing the country begging for support as if the PMLN hasnt got the numbers on their side!
Mullahs have been rejected by people in Balochistan and specially their strenght area has been dented by PkMAP. During the last government JUI F is alleged to have swindled billions & their seniotr Minister has become a big Land Owner, more than Nawabs of Killa Saifullah. Maulana wants to get the jackpot once again but this will be at cost of loosing National Party of CM and PkMAP of Mahmood Khan Achakzai.
We have rejected Mullas again and again but they keep finding their ways in the government of Balochistan with support from Islamabad and Rawalpindi. If Islamabad is even a little sincere in solving the issue of Balochistan, they should reject the proposals of these religious leaders. They are being planted as a disease in Balochistan to tackle the secular Baloch movement but they will be failed again as they were in past.
What's wrong in giving some share to Maulana, after PMLn and MQM alliance......