During the central executive council meeting of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F), members proposed abstaining from joining the government and instead advocated for sitting in the opposition.
According to sources, members of the central executive council recommended persuading both the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) to also join the opposition ranks.
It has been decided to convene a general council meeting of JUI-F within ten days to discuss the council’s recommendations for consultation.
It is pertinent to mention that yesterday, a delegation of PML-N, led by Shahbaz Sharif, visited Maulana Fazlur Rehman’s residence in Islamabad and extended an invitation for joining the government.
The meeting between Shahbaz Sharif and Maulana Fazlur Rehman saw the former expressing the need for Maulana’s leadership, stating that the nation and the country require him at this moment. He assured Maulana that no one is eager to form the government joyfully at this time, and once again sought guidance from him.
According to sources, Maulana Fazlur Rehman informed Shahbaz Sharif about his reservations and raised concerns about apparent discrepancies with JUI-F’s alliance with PTI. He highlighted instances of manifest irregularities in the coalition with PTI.
Maulana Fazlur Rehman reportedly said, “We have always made sacrifices for the nation and the country. Our mandate was stolen. The majority opinion within the party is to sit in opposition.”
These developments underscore a divergence in political strategies and alignments as parties deliberate on their roles in the post-election scenario. The stance taken by JUI-F reflects a cautious approach towards participating in government formation, citing concerns over transparency and principles.
