Bilawal holds meeting with JUI-F chief in Islamabad

ISLAMABAD: The chairman of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari has met Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl (JUI-F) supremo Maulana Fazlur Rehman in Islamabad, ARY News reported on Thursday.

The meeting between the opposition leaders continued for more than one hour which was also attended by PPP central leaders including Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, Qamar Zaman Kaira, Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar, Farhatullah Babar and Naveed Qamar.

Sources said that the opposition leaders failed to reach any agreement for the next strategy of the anti-government movement as Bilawal returned from his residence without interacting with the media.

However, JUI-F’s Akram Durrani told media that their political parties have agreed to end the present government, as well as the organisation of new and transparent elections. He continued that JUI-F is consulting other political parties as well.

Read: JUI-F requests permission from Punjab govt to meet jailed Nawaz

PPP’s Farhatullah Babar claimed that his political party has reached to some unanimous points to kick out the present government for the security of the country. He added that PPP is also demanding fresh election where the military troops have no role in its organisation.

Babar said that PPP wants freedom of voice and security of the democratic institutions besides rejecting the current accountability system. The PPP leader demanded to bring new legislation for the continuation of the accountability process.

Earlier in the day, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl (JUI-F) lawmakers have requested Punjab’s home department to permit them to meet incarcerated former premier Nawaz Sharif.

The request letter, dated October 2, was written by JUI-F Senator Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haidari, parliamentary leader Maulana Asadur Rehman and the parliamentary leader in the KP Assembly Muhammad Akram Khan Durrani.

Read: KP minister accuses Fazl of using Madressah students for political ends

The home department has not responded to the request yet.

If the permission is granted, then the party leaders will deliver JUI-F’s chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman’s “special message” to Nawaz besides inquiring about his health, a JUI-F spokesperson said.

Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazal-ur-Rehman intends to carry out an anti-government movement in the month of October. He is seeking support from main opposition parties, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N).

Chairman PPP Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and president of PML-N Shehbaz Sharif have mutually decided to defer the proposed long-march towards Islamabad and have been hesitant to offer outright support to JUI-F.