Despite the ‘symbolic’ participation of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) in the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N)-led protest march of the opposition parties against President Asif Ali Zardari, the two opposition parties remain poles apart, although it’s difficult to establish the real distance between the two.
At a time when the PPP is struggling for survival against the PML-N-led anti-government tide, the JUI-F and rest of the opposition parties seem far from coming to an agreement on launching a decisive movement against the government. The two represent opposite poles of the political spectrum of the country and the worth of the PPP-JUI-F “strategic relationship” is also understandable.
Despite the fact that JUI-F is in the opposition, it enjoys better ties with the PPP than with the PML-N and due to the very fact, it is difficult to establish the real nature of the relationship between the two opposition parties, the PML-N and JUI-F. It was around three months ago that the JUI-F deflated the idea of a grand opposition alliance against the government. However, JUI-F chief Fazlur Rehman said the PML-N was a hurdle in the formation of a grand alliance of opposition parties, adding that the PML-N leadership would have to change its attitude and play the role of a responsible opposition.
Since then, there seems to be no change in the position of the two parties despite being in opposition. Apparently in a habit of riding two boats at once, the JUI-F wants to remain in the opposition but at the same time does not want to annoy its “strategic ally”, the Pakistan People’s Party. Throughout the previous years, the Fazl-led party continued to play politics with the religio-political parties on the question of reviving the Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal, as it did not want to come out of the government.
The slot of the leader of the opposition in the Senate, which the JUI-F won after a prolonged political war against the PML-N, seems to be a reason for the JUI-F staying in the opposition, though the PPP is continuously inviting it to join the government. Asked about the prospects of relations between the PML-N and JUI-F, Senator Ghulam Ali of the JUI-F said the credit for a scattered opposition went to Nawaz. “As far as the JUI-F’s participation in the protest against President Zardari is concerned, it was purely based on the issues such as law and order, load shedding and national security,” he added.
However, as far as question of grand opposition alliance is concerned, the PML-N never showed any seriousness in this regard, he added. The JUI-F senator said that despite being the biggest opposition party, the PML-N did not take any initiative for forming a grand alliance and even did not convene any formal meeting on the agenda. “The PML-N is yet to take the route which culminates in formation of a grand opposition alliance… it is all in the newspapers and not on ground,” he added.
He advised Nawaz to quit “politics of roads” and work for the unity among the opposition parties.
