PPP delegation meets JUI-F chief

Amid heightening political temperature, a high-level Pakistan People's Party (PPP) delegation met Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazal (JUI-F) Chief Maulana Fazal-ur-Rehman in a bid to pacify the situation caused by the widening gulf between civilian and military leadership.
The current stand-off between civilian and military leadership became crystal clear following two important developments on Wednesday-removal of Defence Secretary by the prime minister and the ISPR's reaction to the Prime Minister's interview to a Chinese newspaper saying allegations against Army Chief and DG ISI would have "very serious ramifications with potentially grievous consequences for the country."
The situation prompted the ruling PPP to send a high level delegation comprising the chief whip and Minister for Religious Affairs Syed Khursheed Ahmed Shah, Minister for Water and Power Syed Naveed Qamar and party's senior leader Raja Pervez Ashraf to meet Maulana Fazal-ur-Rehman.
Talking to reporters after the meeting, the JUI-F Chief said that a joint strategy should be evolved to overcome the situation, adding that all the institutions should remain in their constitutional ambit and refrain from instigation. "We have decided to sit together for devising a joint strategy to deal with the current situation," he said, adding that he had also been contacted by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Chief Mian Nawaz Sharif on telephone to discuss the current political situation. He said that he would also meet Nawaz Sharif within two days.
He said that the government contacted him to deal with the current situation. He was confident that positive results were expected in few days, however, he added the factors behind the current bitterness have to be removed. To a question about the expected move by the government to pass resolution from the National Assembly, the JUI-F Chief said that it would be premature to comment on the matter unless the draft of the resolution was made available.
To another question, he said that there was no harm in writing letter to Swiss authorities, adding that if PPP was not ready to do so then it should tell the people in clear terms about their reluctance in writing the letter. In response to another query, he said that if general elections could be held under Pervez Musharraf than why not under a political leader-President Asif Ali Zardari.
Earlier, speaking at a news conference at National Press Club, the JUI-F chief said that a way out exist in the six options given by Supreme Court to overcome the current political crisis. "If decisions are undertaken with wisdom, there is a way out to overcome the current political crisis," he said, adding that the apex court's larger bench could find solution to the prevailing tension.
He said, "we have come a long way through various challenges and today the country was again facing a serious challenge." He said that the politicians undoubtedly delayed implementation of unanimous decisions, which led the country to the current political stand-off.
Maulana said that he had written a letter to PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif so as to overcome the current situation through mutual consultations. He said that general elections should be held this year, adding that they were trying to settle the matter through mutual consultations. He, however, pointed out that the elections should not be held on the current electoral rolls and there should be a caretaker set up acceptable to all the political forces.
To a question, he said that he was against the 'politics of resignations' and no one can task him to prepare grounds for en-masse resignations from the parliament. About his last meeting with President Zardari, Maulana said that it was not his meeting with the President rather he went to inquire about his health.
To another question, he expressed confidence that through his efforts a meeting between President Zardari and Mian Nawaz Sharif was possible. In reaction to a statement by PTI Chief Imran Khan, he said that change could not be brought through tsunami, but it could be brought through revolutions.
About Most Favoured Nation Status (MFN) to India, he made it clear that Pakistan stance on Kashmir was clear and unwavering, and it would not be changed with granting MFN status to India. To another question, the JUI-F chief said that establishment never distanced itself from the country's politics. Talking about the country's foreign policy, he said, "We had been pursing an imported foreign policy since 2001". He, however, said that the Parliamentary Committee on National Security was outlining recommendations for new foreign policy, which he termed a success of the political forces.