Fazlur Rehman doesn't even have a vote in his own house: KP chief minister

ISLAMABAD: Kyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur Wednesday fired a fresh salvo against Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) Chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, saying that he doesn't have a [single] vote in his own house and that even his worker will beat him in the polls.

Speaking to the media in Islamabad, Gandapur said that the JUI-F chief wants to "set his price" as Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's (PTI) looks to secure support from various stakeholders, faction for its protest movement.

He appeared before an anti-terrorism court today in cases pertaining audio leaks, violation of Section 144 and alleged involvement in vandalism at Islamabad's judicial complex.

His remarks come days after the PTI and the JUI-F "agreed on increasing party-level contacts" following Asad Qaiser's telephonic conversation with Fazl wherein the duo exchanged views on the current political situation and the process of forming a government.

Stressing that both parties have "ideological coordination" regarding the public movement against the February 8 election results, Qaiser, during his interaction with the JUI-F chief, pitched an idea for those parties who believe in the supremacy of law should start a political movement against the incumbent government from the united platform of "Tehreek-e-Tahaffuz-e-Dastoor".

Elaborating on the prospects of joining hands with the JUI-F, the KP chief minister today said that he had no objections if Fazl extended his support to the PTI.

"PTI founder [Imran Khan] has said that he is ready to sit [with anyone] for Pakistan's [interests]," he noted.

Addressing the country's political situation, Gandapur fired a fresh salvo at the Shehbaz Sharif-led Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz's (PML-N) government, saying that the country suffered adverse consequences due to the experiment that was carried out to bring the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) into power.

"The country cannot afford [any] further experiences," he said while referring the current PML-N-led coalition government as "PDM 2.0".

ATC extends PTI leaders' bail till April 27

During today's hearing, PTI leaders including Shibli Faraz, Omar Ayub, Ali Nawaz Awan Amir Mughal and Shibli Faraz appeared before ATC Judge Tahir Abbas in various cases pertaining to their alleged involvement in vandalism following last year's May 9 riots.

At the outset of the hearing, PTI leaders' counsel Babar Awan apprised the court that the challan in the judicial complex vandalism case has already been submitted and urged the court to hear his arguments on granting of bail on April 18.

To this, the judge directed the lawyer to abstain from combining pre-arrest bail with challan and present his arguments on the issue of bail instead.

Addressing the investigation officer, Judge Abbas questioned whether the authorities still wanted to interrogate Shibli Faraz — also named in judicial complex vandalism case — to which the official replied in the negative.

Meanwhile, appearing before the court KP CM Gandapur, who is facing multiple cases, was allowed to leave after marking his attendance.

The court then extended Gandapur and Faraz's bail till April 27.