Islamabad (The COW News Digital) Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman has emerged as a key intermediary amid continuing tensions between the government and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) over the party’s long march towards Islamabad.
According to sources, a government delegation met Fazlur Rehman and requested him to play a role in reducing political tensions and facilitating dialogue with the PTI. Following the meeting, the JUI-F chief reportedly contacted PTI leadership by telephone and conveyed the government’s offer and proposals.
The reported development comes as the PTI continues its planned long march towards the federal capital. The party has maintained that its political demands should be addressed through negotiations, while the government has repeatedly said that its doors remain open for dialogue but has urged the PTI to abandon the march.
Sources said the PTI subsequently called an emergency meeting of its leadership to consider the government’s offer and determine its next course of action. The meeting was reportedly being held through video link, with senior party leaders participating.
Fazlur Rehman had earlier advised the government to avoid imposing governor’s rule or an emergency in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and instead seek a political solution through negotiations. His position was also reported following a meeting with a government delegation that included National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq, Prime Minister’s Adviser on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah and Federal Minister Tariq Fazal Chaudhry.
The government delegation’s engagement with Fazlur Rehman comes against the backdrop of a broader political deadlock. Previous government-PTI talks failed to produce agreement on key issues surrounding the proposed long march and the situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Rana Sanaullah has said the government remains willing to negotiate with the PTI, but has linked further talks to ending the long march. PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, meanwhile, has called for negotiations without preconditions and maintained that political dialogue should continue until outstanding issues are addressed.
National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq has also said political contacts remain active and that efforts are underway to find a political way forward. Fazlur Rehman has likewise stressed the importance of dialogue between the government and opposition.
The latest intervention by the JUI-F chief could provide another channel for communication between the two sides, although the PTI’s response to the government’s reported proposal and its impact on the long march remain to be seen.
