New horizons: JUI-F chief wishes for success in peace process

Says his party had not attempted to destabilise the provincial government of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.

PESHAWAR:

Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman on Thursday said his party wishes for success in the ongoing talks between the Taliban and government.

Speaking to the media following the graduation ceremony of Bajaur Agency madrassah students at JUI-F’s provincial headquarters, Fazl said he would avoid speaking much about the negotiations because his party was not officially part of the process. He said he wanted to see the talks heading towards peace, but it was premature to say anything certain about its future at the moment.

About his party’s alliance with the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) led federal government, he said old policies still dominate the present set-up. Fazl said his party had changed the direction of the previous PML-N government, and that there was a need to do it again today.

He added that JUI-F has some reservations over government policies, including the national security policy and foreign policy, and that is the reason his party is not taking up cabinet portfolios.

The JUI-F chief said his party had not attempted to destabilise the provincial government of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P), but claimed it was not capable of standing on its own feet.

About his earlier meeting with Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Sami (JUI-S) chief Maulana Samiul Haq, Fazl said the people of the province were well aware that there is no JUI-S or JUI-F; rather, there is a united Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam.

Commenting on the change of K-P governor, Fazl said it was an administrative decision of the federal government, which they have no issue with. “We do not raise objections over posts,” added Rehman, “We are more concerned with policy issues.”

Published in The Express Tribune, March 28^th, 2014.