Obaid Abbasi
Jamiat Ulama-e-Islam (JUI-F) on Monday formed a committee which will work on alliances with different political and religious parties for upcoming elections, Pakistan Today has learnt.
The committee is headed by party secretary general and Senate Deputy Chairman Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri and it has been mandated to meet with all parties – religious and political – to form a grand alliance, seat adjustments or party-to-party alliances, sources in the party revealed.
The development came after the JUI-F chief chaired a party’s central committee’s meeting in which it was decided to form a committee which will work out for possible options like grand alliance or party-to-party working relationship and seats adjustment.
“The committee will formally approach different political parties and then it will reach on a conclusion about possible options,” said the sources.
The meeting was by all the members of the party. The meeting also reviewed country’s political situation. JUI-F is an ally of ruling Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) and remained on the front foot to defend Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif especially at a time when premier was facing a tough time.
Sources said that during the meeting different things came under discussion, which included the recent offer of Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) chief to make a religious alliance like Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal, (MMA). It is noted that JI Chief Siraj-ul-Haq had offered Fazlur Rehman to make a religious alliance. The revival of MMA is also on the cards but committee has mandated to approach all the parties.
It is noted that a six religious parties had formed the MMA ahead of the 2002 general elections and were able to form independent and coalition governments in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Balochistan respectively. However, the alliance fell apart in 2007 when JI decided to boycott the election but the JUI-F contested the election and made allies of PPP and currently still is ally of ruling Pakistan Muslim League PML-N.
Interestingly, during the meeting JUI-F chief neither asked the committee to particularly approach Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf nor restricted it to approach over alliance. It is noted that in KPK, PTI has provincial government where JUI-F is in opposition. “Maulana sahib is old player of politics and farsighted he knows how to engage all political parties, remarked a part leader, who requested not to quote his name.
When contacted, Abdul Ghafoor Haideri confirmed that committee has been formed to engage all political parties for next general elections. “All options remain open and JUI-F will approach every party,” he added.
