Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Chief Maulana Fazal-ur-Rehman said on Thursday that general elections were likely in 2012, as the government had already completed its four years in power. Speaking at a press conference here at a religious school, Fazal urged the country's political parties to outline a unanimous plan before the expected polls.
About the revival of Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA), Fazal said he wished if the alliance could be restored. He said that his party was in favour of creation of new provinces but that should not happen on ethnic or linguistic basis. Such a creation of new federal units, he added would undermine the national unity. He announced that the JUI-F would hold a historic public gathering on January 27 this month.
Fazal demanded of the press and electronic media to give an "impartial" coverage to his party's public gathering in Karachi. He said the present government had completed its four-year term and had lost its control over the issues of national importance. He was of the view that suggesting the holding of early elections would be a constitutional act.
Fazal said he had sent a proposal for evolving a consensus plan of all opposition parties before the elections to PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif. "I am now waiting for a reply from him," he added. To a question regarding political future of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), he responded that it was a group of political "nomads". However he said there was a need to monitor the journey of the politicians, who according to him were habitual of finding places in every government.
"These people should realise that slogans are not the remedy to public problems and there is a need of serious approach to solve the key issues," he said. Fazal said his party had no role in the ongoing peace talks between the US and Taliban in Afghanistan but was keen to support the negotiations.