ISLAMABAD – Internal bickering and a lack of trust among the Jamaat-e-Islami’s (JI) top leadership, coupled with the absence of substantial support from powers that be, appears to have minimised the prospects of an imminent revival of the Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA).
Discussions with JI leaders have revealed that former party chief Qazi Hussain Ahmed and incumbent Syed Munawar Hassan were divided over the religious alliance’s revival. A JI source told Pakistan Today that Qazi had recently written letters to various committees of JI against the policies of Hassan.
“If the MMA stands revived, Hassan would have to work under Qazi who is still the president of the dysfunctional alliance,” the source said. “Hassan also fears that MMA’s revival will shift focus from him to Qazi. Moreover, the powerful Karachi lobby of the JI has put its weight behind Qazi and is opposing Hassan’s policies. This has made the incumbent chief to feel insecure,” the source added.
He said in a bid to cut Qazi to his size, Hassan had openly opposed MMA’s revival and was advocating the formation of an alliance with other political parties like the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf, the PML-Q Likeminded and the PML-F. “Moreover, JI leaders do not trust JUI-F chief Fazlur Rehman. They suspect he may use the MMA to pressure the PPP leadership to achieve his objectives,” the source added.
Moreover, Sahibzada Abulkhair Ahmed Zubair, the new chief of Jamiat Ulma-e-Pakistan (JUP), is also opposing MMA’s revival. Qazi told Pakistan Today that as Fazl had fulfilled his condition of parting ways with the ruling coalition, the MMA’s revival was very much on the cards. However, all component parties of the MMA had decided not to go for MMA’s immediate revival, he said.
“I have also talked to the chief of JUP Sahibzada Abulkhair Zubair for MMA’s revival. He is also of the view that for the time being, it would be unwise to revive the MMA. So we will continue with the Namoos-e-Risaalat movement,” Qazi added. He said the JI shoora would hold its crucial meeting by mid-January to decide the MMA issue.
Qazi clarified that he did not oppose the idea of Fazl continuing working as the Kashmir committee chairman.
