ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan and the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Sami (JUI-S) Ameer Maulana Sami ul Haq have agreed to work on a “joint strategy” for the next scheduled elections.
The decision was reached in a meeting between the two leaders, notified the PTI’s media department here on Sunday.
“In the meeting, the leadership of both the parties in principle agreed to continue consultative meetings to prepare a joint strategy for the next elections so that the two parties could jointly struggle to bring the country out of the present crises and difficulties,” said the statement.
The PTI chief during the meeting stated that the elimination of corrupt elements is a prerequisite for the development of the country.
He claimed that PTI and JUI-S had intellectual and ideological convergence. Imran appreciated the efforts of the JUI-S leader for supporting the initiatives the KP government has taken so far for the promotion of Islamic principles. He said his party wanted religious seminaries to stand on their feet.
Haq remarked that he held great regard for the government’s “pro-Islamic” initiatives.
The meeting was also attended by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Pervez Khattak, Information Minister Shah Farman, Maulana Hamidul Haq Haqqani and Maulana Syed Samar Yousuf
It is relevant to mention that the JUI-S was an important part of the nine-party MMA alliance that had been formulated to contest the general elections in 2002 from a joint platform.
Some analysts are viewing the huddle as a major setback for the Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA), a political alliance of Islamic parties, which is to be formally revived next month in a bid to give the PTI tough time in the general elections.