Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rahman has urged the government to allow Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) to hold its long march towards Islamabad, saying peaceful protest is a democratic right.
Speaking to reporters alongside opposition leaders in Islamabad, Fazlur Rahman said the government should trust PTI’s commitment to keeping the demonstration peaceful. He also criticised measures aimed at preventing protesters from entering the federal capital and called for political disputes to be resolved through dialogue.
A delegation of opposition parties met Fazl at his residence following consultations on the country’s political situation. The delegation included Senate opposition leader Allama Raja Nasir Abbas, former National Assembly speaker Asad Qaiser, PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja and Akhundzada Hussain Ahmad Yousafzai.
Fazl said negotiations could have produced better results if outside forces had not become involved. He stressed that successful dialogue requires flexibility and compromise from all sides. He also called on political parties to respect the Constitution and the state while maintaining a balanced political environment.
The JUI-F chief said the opposition delegation had invited him to attend a proposed multi-party conference. He said his party would review the invitation before deciding whether to participate and added that political parties should work together to develop a common agenda through consultation.
Discussing the security situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Fazlur Rahman questioned the repeated reliance on military operations to address terrorism. He pointed to previous operations in areas including Swat and Waziristan and raised concerns about the difficulties faced by residents who have not returned to their homes.
Senator Raja Nasir Abbas said the opposition delegation wanted Fazl to join efforts to develop a consensus-based political agenda. He also said Fazl had opposed the imposition of governor’s rule or an emergency in KP. PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja said coercive measures had widened the gap between the public and the state and maintained that PTI’s political struggle was focused on the Constitution and rule of law.
JUI-F Urges Government to Allow PTI’s Peaceful Protest in Islamabad
