ISLAMABAD: Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam -Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman on Tuesday expressed his frustration over the lack of unity among the ranks of opposition parties on a possible one-point agenda to topple the PTI government.

"The responsibility of sending this government home is not only on the shoulders of the 'selectors', but also on opposition parties who have failed to bring unity within their ranks so far. They [rulers] are benefiting from the cracks within the opposition parties," the JUI-F chief said in response to a question while talking to reporters.

Maulana has been expressing his concerns over the lack of unity among the ranks of opposition political parties, spearheaded by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan People's Party (PPP) to agree on a possible one-point agenda to topple the government.

The proposed all-parties conference (APC) is facing delays due to poor response from the major opposition political parties. However, he expressed the confidence that the APC will soon be convened, adding that the JUI-F had differences of opinion with PML-N and PPP over their support in the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) related legislations in parliament.

"It does not mix well - on the one hand you are extending support to the government and on the other hand you claim to be with the opposition. We have to resolve these things first, as we may face such situations in the future as well," he asserted, adding that the major opposition parties; PML-N and PPP should evolve a consensus on a single agenda against the government.

In response to a question whether he stands with Nawaz Sharif or Shahbaz Sharif in the political struggle against the PTI government, Maulana said: "The situation has changed now, one should ask the PML-N whether they stand with the JUI-F's policy or not?"

The JUI-F chief also strongly condemned the police action against PML-N workers and party vice president Maryam Nawaz in Lahore during her appearance in the office of National Accountability Bureau (NAB).

"The NAB is not doing accountability; it has resorted to political victimization of the opposition leaders. The time has come that NAB should be closed at once," he said, adding that there is a need to take a unanimous decision on NAB to avoid the 'daily humiliation' of the politicians.

The JUI-F chief also urged the media not to encourage 'anti-democratic forces that came into the power through an illegal route. He insisted that protest was the right of the PML-N workers and the police action against political workers cannot be justified.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2020