Shehbaz courts Fazl as PTI, JUI-F form parliamentary alliance

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met Maulana Fazlur Rehman on Friday to “address his reservations” following Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (F) recent alliance with the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), on the parliamentary front.

PM Shehbaz assured Maulana Fazl that his concerns would be addressed promptly, sources revealed.

Maulana Fazl had also voiced several concerns about the current administration, led by a coalition headed by the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N).

In the crucial meeting, the federal government made efforts to engage Maulana Fazl and once again requested JUI-F’s support and cooperation to help resolve the nation’s pressing problems.

Before the general elections of 2024, Fazl was one of the important allies of both PML-N and the PPP, as he led the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) that successfully toppled former Prime Minister Imran Khan in 2022 through a no-confidence resolution.

According to sources, Shehbaz Sharif addressed Fazl as a democratic politician and urged him to reject the “politics of the anarchist group,” referring to the JUI-F-PTI “cooperation agreement.”

Following the PTI and JUI-F’s recent agreement to cooperate in the National Assembly and the Senate, the Federal government intensified its efforts to court the JUI-F, its former ally, during recent meetings. This increased engagement is reportedly in response to rumours that the federal government is planning to introduce significant legislation in parliament.

After Fazl’s latest meeting with the PTI team, led by the party’s chairman, Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, the leaders of the ruling coalition convened.

The two political parties, PTI and JUI-F had frequent interactions since the February 8 elections and their ongoing dialogue reflects mutual concerns about alleged election results and irregularity in the polls.