JUI-F chief Fazlur Rehman refuses to accept 'deal' with government

ISLAMABAD: A meeting between the Rehbar Committee of the opposition parties and the government’s negotiating team held on Friday ended without yielding any result as deadlock persisted on deciding the venue of culmination of the Azadi March.

Inside sources said the government’s negotiating team rejected the demand of the Rehbar Committee to allow gathering of their workers at D-Chowk in Islamabad. 

The government team stuck to the stand that the opposition parties would be allowed to hold a public meeting at the Parade Ground. 

On Friday, JUI-F chief Fazlur Rehman had said that the Azadi March would go ahead and refused to accept any deals with the government. He made the comments in Larkana while negotiations were ongoing with the government. 

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The two sides, after holding two rounds of talks which concluded late Friday night, without giving any time-frame, decided to continue the talks process.

The government team, while insisting on the Parade Ground as venue of the Azadi March, referred to a past decision of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) in this regard. 

The two sides took a break for nearly two hours after the first round of talks, during which Defence Minister Pervaiz Khattak talked to the prime minister via telephone.

Also read: JUI-F chief Fazlur Rehman says Azadi March neither sit-in nor lockdown

Sources said that PM Imran maintained that the government would establish its writ and the Azadi March would not be allowed to reach D-Chowk in Islamabad. 

The prime minister said the government had tried its best to reach an agreement with the opposition. “We gave the option of Parade Ground in the light of decision of the high court,” the premier said. 

“We have not been able to reach any conclusion but will continue to hold talks,” JUI-F leader Muhammad Akram Khan Durrani said after the meeting. 

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The leaders from the two sides, to the disappointment of media persons, did not respond to questions and left the residence of Akram Durrani where two rounds of talks were held. “We will invite you again when date and venue of next round of talks is decided,” Durrani said.

However, Mian Iftikhar, a member of the Rehbar Committee, later said it could not be said at present as to when and where the next round of talks would be held.

No deal with government: JUI-F chief

JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman has said that Azadi March will take place on its schedule as already announced. He said the government is using different tactics which will only create strife. 

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Talking to media persons in Larkana, the Maulana said arrest of the JUI-F workers will have no effect on the Azadi March, adding that talks with the government under present circumstances will not be successful.

The JUI-F chief said the federal government is shutting down petrol pumps, ration shops, stopping traffic and one organisation of JUI-F has also been banned, which prove the undemocratic intentions of the regime. 

The Maulana said when their several million marches, including the Peshawar million march, have already been held peacefully, then why is the government banning the Azadi March.

Also read: JUI-F chief Fazlur Rehman rails against PTI, likens Azadi March to 'war' against government

Fazlur Rehman said Pakistan had become alone and isolated in the world due to the failed foreign policy of the sitting government. He said according to one report, one-year corruption of the present government had broken record of all previous governments. 

He said threats of suicide attacks were being given after banning Ansarul Islam. He warned that if anything happened to any Azadi March worker, the government of PM Imran would be held responsible.