Govt committee to contact Maulana Fazl for talks

ISLAMABAD: The government’s negotiation committee has decided to contact Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman for talks in an effort to bring him around to withdrawing his demands for the prime minister’s resignation and fresh polls.

Sources relayed Pervez Khattak, who heads the committee, will contact the JUI-F chief and seek to schedule a meeting with him.

Separately, sources within the opposition’s Rehbar Committee quoted it as saying that the government body lacks powers to take any decision and that the JUI-F demands are loud and clear, which it had already presented to the government.

The opposition said they would discuss whether to hold talks with the government or not if the latter approaches for the purpose.

Earlier today, Dr. Firdous Ashiq Awan, Special Assistant to the PM on Information, said the Pakistan Army would be on standby and could be called in, if needed, during the anti-government rally. She added that there would be three-layered security, police would be at the forefront, followed by the Ranger personnel and then there would be the army to quell any unrest.

Awan approached Interior Minister Aijaz Shah to summon the army for this purpose and said the armed forces would be on standby.

Under the leadership of its chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, JUI-F-led Azadi March reached Islamabad on Thursday to stage an anti-government protest rally in the federal capital.

Interior Minister Ijaz Shah has said the federal government will not become a barrier in opposition’s Azadi March following the democratic norms.

“Prime Minister Imran Khan had decided that the government will not stop [opposition’s] march under the democratic norms. The permission closed all doors to the elements willing to create chaos in the country,”  Shah said while urging Maulana Fazlur Rehman to respect court orders in holding its march.

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