Shehbaz Sharif makes his participation in JUI-F-s Azadi March conditional with Bilawal's.
LAHORE: (UrduPoint/ Pakistan Point News-19th Oct, 2019) Another setback for Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) as PML-N President and Opposition leader in Punjab Assebly Shehbaz Sharif categorically said that he would particiapte in JUI-F's Azadi March if PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto decided to take part in it.
The inside story of a meeting between JUI-F Chief Fazl ur Rehman and PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif unfolded today as Shehbaz Sharif directly made his partition in Azadi March conditional with the particiaption of Bilawal Bhutto Zardari.
It may be mentioned here that PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari had already made it clear that he would not take part in JUI-F's Azadi March. With such condition, the support and participation of PML-N in JUI-F's Azadi March has come to an abstract stage where JUI-F seems standing alone in its confrontation with the government. On Friday, both Shehbaz Sharif and Fazl ur Rehman jointly held a press conference and gave an impression that they were united and the news were flashed that PML-N was fully supporting the JUI-F's Azadi March.
Shehbaz Sharif, according to the press conference, claimed that he would follow his brother Nawaz Sharif advice and would fully support JUI-F and its Azadi March. He also strongly criticized the govenment for its poor policies and bad conditions of almost every state institutions including health and education. Fazl ur Rehman also said that he was grateful to PML-N leadership for their support to JUI-F. It mahy be menetioned here that Fazl ur Rehmann personally went to PML-N's secretariat to meet Shehbaz sharif. Duirng his media talks, Fazl ur Rehman made it clear that abuses and offers for dialogue cannot go side by side. He said the government at one side offered him dialogues and at the other abused him openly in public arena. He said if the government was seriously interested in holding talks then first it should resign. He demanded the resignation of PM Khan.
PM Khan, in his meeting with religouos scholars, said that JUI-F was incapable of sustaining sit-in even for a week, reports say.
According to the details, PM Imran Khan was not worried about Azadi March of JUI-F and shunned the impression that he was any kind of pressure regarding JUI-F's march. He expressed these views while chairing a meeting with the memberrs of Council of Islamic Ideology, Muttahida Ulema Board and Central Ruet-i-Hilal Committee.
He said the scholars had a key role to play in forging unity and harmony in the country, especially over the problems being faced by the nation in today's life. He also asked the Ulema for thier cooperation so that the government could achieve its goals. PM Khan also praised the role of religious seminaries in spreading literacy even in the remote parts sf the cocuntry and within vulnerable sections of thee society.
“This meeting is not for seeking your support over JUI-F's Azadi March,” said Imran Khan on the occasion. “I have seen many protests and even led a massive dharna of 126 days.”
He said the main purpose behind the meeting was to discuss the “true nature of the state of Madina”.
“I want to make Pakistan a truly welfare state, modelled on the state of Madina; this is the purpose of my life. I am not using the name of islam for political gains, like former rulers,” said Mr Khan. Imran Khan also informed the scholars about his visits to Iran and Saudi Arabia and took them into confidence.
“We want to build bridges and end tensions between the two Muslim countries," said the PM. Later, one of the Ulema said that the PM did not discuss Azadi March but sosme government functionaries said that the students of seminaries should not take part in such activities like the JUI-F's Azadi March.
“This is the reason why Jamia Hafsa continues to be delisted by Wafaqul Madaris al-Arabia, the board of seminaries affiliated to the Deobandi school of thought,” he added.
Those present at the meeting included Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Defence Minister Pervez Khattak, Education Minister Shafqat Mehmood, Minister for Religious Affairs Pir Noor-ul-Haq Qadri, Special Assistant to the PM Naeem-ul-Haq, Special Assistant to the PM on Information Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan and Special Assistant to the PM Yousuf Beg Mirza.
