ISLAMABAD - The JUI-F has reportedly conditioned its support to PML-N presidential candidate Mamnoon Hussain with giving it three ministries in Balochistan government.
Only a day before on Friday, the religio-political party chief, Fazlur Rehman, told Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif that ‘national interest’, not the ministerial positions, was their priority. Sources said that Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) has now formally conveyed its condition to PML-N leadership and was waiting for ruling party’s response. They said the PML-N has still not given any assurance but the mediators were trying to broker the deal between the two parities. Earlier in the day JUI-F’s core committee reviewed the matter of support in presidential election and decided to take up their grievances in Balochistan with the ruling party.
JUI-F Central Spokesperson Jan Achakzai said that party’s central committee meet with party chief Fazalur Rahman in the chair and wherein Balochistan chapter of the party expressed serious concerns regarding political situation in that province. Achakzai said the JUI-F is a genuine stakeholder in Balochistan but it has been ignored. He said “as such there is a dire need for a new social contract in the province to reflect this reality”. He said they have contacted Finance Minister Isahq Dar in this regard and were awaiting further discussion on the issues involved.
He said Fazl met with PM Nawaz the other day and their meeting focused on law and order situation. “The Maulana also complained to prime minister that JUI-F was not taken on board on many issues,” he added. He said now the ball is in PML-N’s court. They would make final decision regarding presidential election after inter-party discussion, he concluded.