'When did they actually start': Fazl questions govt-PTI negotiations

• Fazl says incumbent assemblies lack representation of people.
• Adds no one can stop anyone from challenging 26th Amendment.
• "26th Amendment passed after taking PTI into confidence."

DI KHAN: JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman has cast doubt over the ongoing negotiation process between the government and the opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), saying that the incumbent parliament lacks representation of the people of Pakistan.

"When did the negotiations between the government and the PTI actually start," Fazl questioned while addressing a press conference in Dera Ismail Khan on Saturday.

The PTI and the ruling coalition have been engaged in talks aimed at defusing political tensions in the country for nearly a month. Both sides have held three rounds of talks so far.  

The dialogue hit a snag when the Imran-founded party called off the process due to “non-cooperation” of the government and delay over the formation of a judicial commission to probe the May 9, 2023, violent protests and a crackdown on party protesters in Islamabad on November 26 last year.

However, conflicting statements from the embattled former ruling party regarding the negotiations started emerging with PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, a day earlier, saying ongoing talks were put on hold, a shift from the party’s earlier announcement of calling them off.

Speaking to the media today, the JUI-F chief said that the incumbent assemblies lack a "real mandate", noting that they were not the representation of the people's will.

In response to a question, Fazl said that no one can stop anyone from moving the court against the contentious 26th Constitutional Amendment. However, he clarified that the amendment was passed after taking the PTI into confidence.

He further added that he asked the former ruling party not to vote for the constitutional amendment.

Referring to tribal issues, the religio-political leader urged the stakeholders to "listen to the voices of tribesmen", noting that life in tribal areas has been disrupted for nearly two decades.

He also said that an operation in the tribal areas was not an option to achieve peace. "Use of force is not the solution to the problem... it only increases terrorism," he added.

The JUI-F chief announced they would soon summon another jirga to chalk out the next course of action.

He reiterated that the ongoing war is not regional, but global, claiming that all international powers have kept an eye on the region. "These forces will never allow peace to come to these areas," he added.

"It has been almost nine years and the tribal areas have yet to get their due rights," he said, noting that it was the state's responsibility to restore peace in the region.