Fazlur Rehman, chief of his own faction of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-Fazl), on Sunday accused the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz of adopting “centralisation tendencies”.
A statement issued by JUI-F spokesman says, “JUI-F chief Fazlur Rahman has expressed concern over the statement of Petroleum Minister [Shahid Khaqan Abbasi] that gas distribution formula will be reversed.” The statement added that the formula had been agreed in the 18th Amendment, asking the PML-N to avoid raising settled issues of the devolution and provincial autonomy in the constitution.
The cleric said the 18th Amendment decided distribution of resources between the provinces and the federation through consensus.
“But there is a common perception that only Punjab’s needs are being catered to at the expense of other smaller provinces, minorities and marginalised communities. This perception will only increase misunderstanding among the provinces and cause provincialism and ill feelings,” the statement added.
Fazl joined the opposition’s views stating that already the 18th Amendment was not being implemented “in letter and spirit” as energy policy was finalised before the CCI meeting.
“The ministries of health, education, heritage and climate change are still with the Centre in violation of 18th Amendment while no boards have been established to ensure implementation of 50 percent of the provinces’ share in gas and energy resources. Petroleum ministry and public power institutions are still being run by vested interests groups,” Fazl asserted.
The JUI-F asked for revisiting Article 158 to 162 of the constitution to establish subsidiaries for implementation of the 18th Amendment.
He also suggested that the PML-N should avoid centralised tendencies and establish oversight and watchdog role for the compliance of the 18th Amendment to strengthen federalism and provincial autonomy agreed in the 18th Amendment.
He urged that any problem that rose from the 18th Amendment should be solved in the spirit of the amendment and not as a tool to scale back the amendment.
However, a PML-N leader, requesting not to be named, said that the cleric was pressing the federal government by endorsing the opposition’s views so Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif could accept his demands.
“The cleric wants to win a huge share in the federal and Balochistan cabinets while he also wants the PML-N chief to topple PTI’s Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government but we would not give in to his blackmailing tactics,” the N leaguer asserted.
When contacted, Information Minister Pervez Rashid adopted a sober tone and avoided any further dispute with the JUI-F chief.
“We respect the views of both Fazlur Rehman and Shahid Khaqan Abbasi,” he said.
The minister said that both have raised valid arguments to support their views.
“Democracy is all about expression of views and we respect the views. This is a democratic government and not a dictatorial regime. Difference of opinion is always a healthy sign and since both the coalition partners have their own identities and ideology, they have right to express so. We think even within a party, there might be a difference of opinion and that is a democratic right of any individual or a party,” he concluded.
Meanwhile, JUI-F spokesman Jan Achakzai rejected the criticism of PTI Secretary Information Dr Shireen Mazari against Fazlur Rahman, saying that the PTI was glossing over its government’s governance crisis in KP by finding “scapegoats”.
In a statement, Achakzai rejected Dr Mazari’s statement that the JUI-F was supporting dictatorship, saying that the JUI-F vehemently opposed the coup of Gen Pervez Musharraf when her party chief Imran Khan was supporting him in a referendum.
He said that when the entire political leadership of the country was in self exile the JUI-F forced Gen Musharraf to shed his uniform.
He said that the PTI had promised peace for KP and shooting drones but now they could not even dare to stage a mere sit-in against NATO supplies passing through the streets of Peshawar and wanted secret briefings to further compromise on drone and NATO policies.
Achakzai said that DI Khan jailbreak and militants moving into Peshawar and its vicinity alarmed people of KP if they will see another Swat like situation in the making.
“Whereas JUI-F/MMA’s rule in KP between 2002 and 2008 was the most peaceful in the entire country and it was acknowledged by Preston institution as well,” he added.
He said that PTI was burying its tsunami and “Naya Pakistan” in KP with its own hands by poor governance.
There is no doubt that PML(N) is a Private Mutual Limited political party of Nooras and they have their own priorities. One brother is holding 8 ministries and the other is hanging 14 ministries arround his neck. They have already employed their old "Munshi Sahib" on the swindling job, which he is doing finely. In this they are in lot of hurry as they don't know how long they will stay on the throne. They have to pay back Manmohan Sing and the Bania party as well as complete their swindling target.
Mulla Fazal, a disgrace to Muslims as a whole and more of a pimp than a politician will never get a hole to enter the Sharifa's net work and he will keep creating hatred on the ground of Punjabi, Pathan, Sindhi, Mohajir and Baloch.
You are wrong. Mulla surely has a valid ground and factual truth. Is not it looks that everything the two brothers are doing are meant for Punjab only.
Comments are closed.