PTI, JUIF revive contacts, agree to enhance interaction

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl (JUIF) Tuesday revived their contacts after a gap of weeks and agreed to enhance their interaction to move forward on issues of common interest.

Fazlur Rehman and Senator Kamran Murtaza represented the JUIF, while Omar Ayub, Salman Akram Raja and Asad Qaiser represented the PTI during the meeting.

Talking to the media after the meeting, PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja said they had met with the JUIF on Imran Khan’s instructions. “The agenda of the meeting was protection of the Constitution; we have also decided to contact Mahrang Baloch,” he noted. “We have informed Fazlur Rehman about our negotiations with the government, while the issue of expiry of five-year term of the chief election commissioner and two other ECP members also came under discussion during the meeting,” he said. Moreover, it was learnt that the JUI-F was formally invited to be a part of Tehreek Tahafuz Aiyeene-e-Pakistan. Salman Akram emphasized that all the stakeholders will have to come together to protect the Constitution. He said no constitutional right was available in the country at this time, pointing out that the PECA law was brought to suppress the voice of journalists. Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Omar Ayub said they had come to the JUIF chief for promotion of democracy, and informed him about negotiations with the government and other key issues. He said the government did not fulfill their demands. Omar said his party had voted against the Digital Nation Pakistan Bill and the PECA (amendment) Act. Speaking briefly, JUIF Senator Kamran Murtaza said the PTI team informed Maulana Fazlur Rehman about the ongoing negotiations with the government and also discussed the appointment of the chief election commissioner and two members. The JUIF lawmaker said a mechanism had been developed to avoid any misunderstanding between the two parties.