–JUI-F chief says no point in deferring the moot on pretext of budget if Opp is not going to accept it
ISLAMABAD: Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman has turned down the suggestion to postpone the date of the proposed All Parties Conference (APC), saying the all parties moot will go ahead as planned on June 26.
The members of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) had proposed changing the date of the APC, as both parties would be busy in voting on cut motions during the passage of the budget.
However, the JUI-F chief refused to change the date and said: “There was no point in postponing the conference if the opposition did not accept the budget.”
“[There is] no point in attending the assembly session if we [opposition] do not accept the budget,” Fazl was quoted as saying.
Two days earlier, in telephonic conversations with the major opposition leaders on Sunday, Fazl formally extended the invitation for the proposed APC. The JUI-F chief PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif, Vice President Maryam Nawaz, and PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, among others.
Reportedly, Fazl couldn’t contact with Balochistan National Party (BNP) Chairman Akhtar Mengal as he was abroad. Mengal’s party is a coalition partner of PTI in the Centre. Fazl claimed that Mengal has assured him of his presence at the APC.
Earlier on June 14, Mengal hinted at joining hands with the opposition, saying the party will “not be able to remain with the government if political issues in Balochistan remained unresolved”. BNP has also summoned a party meeting to discuss the decision regarding the APC.