Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) on Monday dismissed reports that Maulana Fazlur Rehman had proposed Yousuf Raza Gilani as opposition leader in the Senate, saying that the slot would go to the PML-N as per the PDM’s decisions.
“It is not appropriate to report that Fazlur Rehman suggested the name of Gilani for the opposition leader’s slot,” said the party. It stressed that as per the PDM’s decision the slot would go to the PML-N. The spokesman said that the JUI-F chief respects the unanimous decisions of the PDM.
“Even though Yousuf Raza is a senior parliamentarian and has loads of experience,” said the JUI-F adding that however, they have to respect the PDM’s decision. He said that the decisions in the PDM are made after evolving a consensus.
On Sunday, PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz had said that the Leader of the Opposition in Senate would be from her party.
Following a meeting with Maulana Fazlur Rehman in Lahore, Maryam Nawaz said, “It is a principled decision”.
She maintained that PDM member parties had decided that they would vote for PPP’s Gilani for the Senate chairman election, JUI-F’s Abdul Ghafoor Haideri for the deputy chairman, while the Leader of the Opposition in the Upper House of Parliament would be from the PML-N. “There is no room for change in the decision after the victory or loss of anyone,” she added.
PPP, on the other hand, is of the view that the situation has changed after the defeat in the Senate chairman election and the slot should now go to them as the largest party in the Upper House.
PPP and PML-N left baffled?
JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman on Wednesday met PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz and discussed a decision made by the PPP on resignations from the assemblies. Sources claim that the PPP has surprised the PDM leadership after its decision.
Notably, the Central Executive Committee session of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) decided not to resign from the assemblies and instead focus on legal and constitutional measures against the government.
The party’s CEC session chaired by Bilawal Bhutto Zardari decided to launch a contact campaign with the peasants, lawyers, traders and doctors organizations, sources said. “We have determined to take the democratic forces along,” Bilawal Bhutto speaking in the meeting said.
“We have lauded the PPP’s decision that a final decision on resignations will be made from the PDM’s platform,” the JUI-F chief said while addressing to media after a meeting with Maryam Nawaz.
He said that a PDM meeting on January 01 will be held in Lahore to discuss the future course of action besides also devising a reaction over the arrest of PML-N leader Khwaja Asif by NAB authorities. “The incumbent authorities are using NAB for political victimization,” he blamed adding that they would bring an end to political victimization after coming into power.
Speaking over his absence from the Garhi Khuda Baksh public gathering, he said that it was not a planned gathering of the PDM and despite this, a JUI-F delegation participated in it on his behalf. “I had participated in the PPP-organised Karachi gathering under the PDM platform,” he said.
Speaking on the occasion, Maryam Nawaz said that Fazlur Rehman gave a detailed briefing to her on the press conference of Bilawal Bhutto. “We will first give a chance to PPP to put forward their recommendations before the PDM,” she said while refusing to respond to reports that PPP has decided against resigning from the assemblies.
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“I will not say anything on presumptions,” the PML-N leader said while lauding Bilawal Bhutto for saying that a final decision would be made at the PDM platform. Responding to the government’s decision to cancel the passport of Nawaz Sharif, Maryam Nawaz said that the masses are with the PML-N supremo.