Nawaz, Fazl agree to form body on MPs’ resignations

ISLAMABAD: Both Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman and former prime minister Nawaz Sharif agreed to constitute a committee to develop consensus among the opposition parties to resign from the assemblies, sources told The News here on Saturday.

The sources said Maulana Fazlur Rehman made a telephonic call to Nawaz Sharif on Saturday and particularly focused on two issues—resignations of the opposition members from the assemblies and presidentship of Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), an alliance of the opposition parties made in APC. “Maulana Fazlur Rehman suggested that the opposition members should immediately resign from the assemblies because this political strategy would break the back of the Imran-led fragile government,” the sources said.

The sources said Maulana Fazlur Rehman also showed his desire to lead PDM because according to him PPP would also have no objection over it.

“Nawaz Sharif completely agreed with the suggestion that the opposition should resign from the assemblies but he maintained that a committee should be constituted to take this decision with consensus among all the opposition parties,” the sources said. The sources said PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari during the APC also maintained that the lawmakers of his party were ready to resign but these resignations would be submitted to Nawaz Sharif who would come to Pakistan and present them to the Speaker National Assembly. “At that time Nawaz Sharif smiled and stated he was never against submission of resignations but there should be consensus over it among all the parties,” the sources said. The sources said Nawaz Sharif informed Maulana Fazl that if he (Fazl) wants to lead PDM then he (Nawaz) would discuss this issue with his senior party members. They said Maulana Fazlur Rehman also told Nawaz Sharif that he should stay in London for his medical treatment and ignored all criticism from the government circles, adding “Maulana Fazlur Rehman said it would not be appropriate that you (Nawaz) come to Pakistan and get arrested in politically motivated cases instead of getting medical treatment in London.”

The sources said both leaders also discussed issues related to phase-wise protest movement against the incumbent government.

Meanwhile when contacted, PML-N leader Ahsan Iqbal told The News that “Maulana Fazlur Rehman made a phone call to Nawaz Sharif to discuss political situation. But I don’t have any specific information about it.”