ISLAMABAD - The Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazal (JUI-F) and the Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) seem to have zeroed in on reviving the religious parties’ alliance after JI chief Sirajul Haq gave the green light to JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, ‘authorising’ the latter to lead the initiative.
Sources aware of the developments told The Nation that both the leadership of the JUI-F and the JI had a series of meetings over the past few months, discussing modalities to revive the alliance, previously known as Muttahida Majlis–e–Amal (MMA).
“Differences between the two parties were the main hurdle in reviving the religious parties’ bloc and as the differences have been hammered out by the leadership and chances seemed bright to restore the alliance,” a senior JI leader said.
He said that the leadership of both the parties have finalised modalities for the future alliance so that the mistakes, which led to the breakup of the MMA, could be avoided.
Sources in the JUI-F said that the party leadership would be giving final touches to the plan as the spade work had already completed by the second tier leadership of the religious parties.
The sources said that as the JUI-F was busy with its centenary celebrations, the party chief could not spare time to work out on the plan. But now the party would devote all its energies to unite the religious parties on one platform, the sources said.
The sources in the JUI-F confirmed that the concerns of the JI have fully been addressed and that was the reason the JI chief has authorised the JUI-F chief to work to unite the religious parties to contest the next general elections from a single platform.
The sources said that the scope and mandate of the alliance would be different from that of the MMA and now Milli Yakjehti Council members would also be invited to join the alliance to wage a united front to face off opponents.
The sources said that the JUI-F also wanted to form an alliance ahead of the 2013 elections but due to some serious reservations of the JI, it could not materialise.
But now the JUI-F, the JI and other religious parties, which remained part of the MMA, have realised the necessity of uniting the religious parties to implement the common agenda of transforming Pakistan into a truly Islamic welfare state, the sources said.
The JUI-F sources claimed that the party leadership was in constant touch with the leadership of other religious parties including the Milli Yakjahti Council and MYC head Maulana Abul Khair Mohammad Zubair has also been taken into confidence by the JUI-F leadership.
Parliamentary sources said that as the JUI-F was disappointed by the PML-N government and the JUI-F chief was looking for other political options including the revival of MMA or formation of religious parties alliance.
These sources said that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif seemed to be feeling uncomfortable with the JUI-F chief since the last Senate elections, wherein the JUI-F had taken side with the Pakistan People’s Party, which cost the ruling PML-N the slot of the Senate chairman.
Sources in the JUI-F said that the party was seriously considering other options for future political alliances as in the given circumstances chances of the JUI-F going to the next general elections with the PML-N seemed almost negligible.
Sources in the JUI-F said that the party leadership was keeping its options open, as, besides the option of reviving the religious parties’ alliance, the party chief would be meeting with heads of other religious and political parties including the PPP in coming days.
The sources said that the JUI-F may part ways with the government but it was too early to say something with certainty. But a final decision whether or not to stay in the government as the coalition would be made by the central Shura of the party.