ISLAMABAD - Announcing the deferment of All Parties Conference Jamiat-i-Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl Chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman said that they have deferred the moot not cancelled it and it would be held as soon as the spade work for it would be completed.
Talking to media after hold talks with PML-N chairman Raja Zafarul Haq who visited his residence in the afternoon, the JUI-F chief said that there was broader agreement among opposition parties to be on the same page as without unity the opposition parties could not play effective role and pressurise ruling alliance.
He announced deferment of the proposed all parties conference on technical grounds and said that now Leader of Opposition in National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif would first call the parliamentary parties meeting of the opposition parties to devise terms of reference of the APC and then would devise its agenda.
He said that in this connection he had already extended request to Leader of Opposition Shehbaz Sharif and soon would be meeting him in this regard.
On the occasion PML-N Chairman and Leader of Opposition in Senate Raja Zafarul Haq dispelled the impression of dropping the proposed APC due to the decision of Nawaz Sharif and Asif Ali Zardari not to attend it, adding the deferment of the moot was made on technical grounds and after removal of these hiccups APC would be called.
To a question Raja Zafarul Haq said that soon the opposition parties would be seen united on one platform struggling for the supremacy of democratic order in the country.
Meanwhile JUI-F Chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman chaired the Parliamentary party meeting of JUI-F wherein the issues pertaining to devising terms of reference for the proposed APC in consultation with PML-N and other opposition parties came under discussion.
The Parliamentary party gave approval to the move and it was also decided that Leader of Opposition Shehbaz Sharif would be given authority to finalise the agenda of the APC in consultation with rest of the opposition parties.
Sources aware of the developments taking place on this front informed The Nation that following the Nawaz Sharif and Asif Ali Zardari decision not to attend the JUI-F sponsored APC the decision of its deferment was taken by JUI-F Chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman as he knew it well that without the presence of these main leaders the APC would lose its significance and impact.
Sources further said that as the opposition parties were not on same page against the ruling alliance, the leadership of main opposition parties -—PML-N and PPP--- decided to stay away from it and send party delegation to the proposed APC, the arrangement not acceptable to JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman.
Maulana Fazlur Rehman wanted immediate launching of a movement against the PTI-led government to dislodge it as ruling alliance was turning out to be complete failure and could only aggravate the existing problems facing that country as long as it would stay in power.
While on the other hand there was consensus among the main opposition parties—PML-N and PPP--- that launching agitation against the government at this juncture would be premature and would harm the political image of the opposition parties.
Both these parties wanted to give at least six months time to PTI led coalition government and let it fall due to its own follies.