Bilawal, Asfandyar want JUI-F to call MPC – Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: The Popular Party of Pakistan (PPP) and the National Awami Party (ANP) have urged the head of Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (JUI-F), Maulana Fazlur Rehman, to convene a multi-party conference (MPC) of the parties of the opposition to inform them of their strategy for the anti-government march of October 27 and to discuss the modalities for other parties to participate in it.

Speaking at a press conference after a meeting between the president of the PPP, Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, and the president of the ANP, Asfandyar Wali Khan, on Sunday, Farhatullah Khan Babar of the PPP and Mian Iftikhar Hussain of the ANP stated that the opposition parties were united in the "minimum common agenda" of eliminating the government and holding new free, fair and transparent elections "without any interference from the army."

Babar said there was a complete unity among all opposition parties that the time had come to send this "selected government" to pack, as it had ruined the country's economy and made the life of the common man miserable.

"We propose that another MPC from the opposition parties be convened on the theme of the & # 39; Marcha Azadi & # 39; of October 27, for which the JUI-F has already called," Babar said, adding that if the MPC was not convened then PPP and ANP would hold meetings of their respective central committees to decide the modalities of participation in the & # 39; Azadi March & # 39; and the extent to which they could participate in it.

"The message we want to convey today is that the opposition is united and will remain united and will expel (Prime Minister) Imran Khan from the office," Babar said, adding that "this government is ready to go in any case." ".

Mian Iftikhar Hussain of ANP said that all opposition parties were in contact and would take all steps with unity. He said that Maulana Fazlur Rehman had already called for a long march from the platform of his party and now all opposition parties also wanted to be part of it.

Hussain said the chances of the Azadi March succeeding would increase if the JUI-F convened an MPC at this stage.

“We all want to keep the opposition parties together. Therefore, to maintain this unit, Maulana Sahab must trust all her colleagues (on the issue of the long march), ”he added.

The ANP leader said they wanted to know about the JUI-F before making any decision regarding participation in the long march, as it would help them decide how their leaders or workers could participate in it.

"However, the announcement of the long march has come from the JUI-F platform, we are ready to cooperate with them," said the ANP leader, saying they should not provide any opportunity for the current government to benefit from La disunity of opposition parties.

"We will see to what extent we can arrive and what help we can give to JUI-F so that its long march is successful," Hussain said.

The ANP leader also supported the PPP's call for new elections in the country without any army interference.

Hussain lashed out at Prime Minister Khan for allegedly putting the country's stability at stake and ruining the country's economy. He claimed that the Prime Minister, through his speech at the United Nations, had made Pakistan a laughing stock in the international community. He accused the government of selling Kashmir and giving the nation a lollipop in the name of the protests.

Answering a question, Hussain said it was the government that played religion cards and not the JUI-F. He said that the issue of using the religion card had been resolved in the previous MPC when the Maulana had told them that they were talking about the protection of the Islamic provisions established in the Constitution.

PPP senator Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar and party media coordinator Nazir Dhoki were also present during the press conference. Hussain was assisted by ANP information secretary Zahid Khan.

Previously, Mr. Bhutto-Zardari along with his delegation were warmly welcomed by Asfandyar Wali Khan and other members of the ANP at the latter's residence in Islamabad.

The sources said that it was planned to hold the meeting in the hometown of Charsadda, Mr. Khan, but moved to Islamabad due to some security concerns.

The head of JUI-F, Maulana Fazlur Rehman, had announced last week that her party had decided to retain the anti-government "Azadi March" to Islamabad on October 27.

Posted on Dawn, October 7, 2019