ISLAMABAD - JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman is likely to announce abandoning the sit-in plan in the federal capital and is expected to limit his protest to a long march, The Nation was told by political sources yesterday.

The sources in the JUI-F political party said that leading opposition parties have advised Maulana Fazlur Rehman to abandon his plan for the sit-in while a group of JUI-F senior leaders has also opposed such a move.

The sources also said that the party’s leadership hailing from Balochistan was against the anti-government ‘dharna’, saying that they have been advising the Maulana not to hold a sit-in. The sources further revealed that many backdoor contacts have been made with the Maulana for the purpose to avoid the sit-in. However, the sources said that the final decision is to be taken in the party’s Majlis-e-Shoora meeting today (Friday).

According to the sources, Maulana Fazlur Rehman on Wednesday had contacted PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif who also advised Maulana Fazl to abandon the sit-in and hold the Azadi March only.

Leaders wary of other political parties stealing JUI-F’s show

A source, privy to JUI-F internal discussions, has informed The Nation that the Majlis-e-Shoora meeting of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) held in Sukkur on Thursday discussed many important issues relating to Azadi March.

According to the source, the top leadership of JUI-F during the meeting was of view that the prolonged struggle done by the JUI-F was likely to be cashed in by the other opposition parties.

The source further said the Rehbar Committee was given the power to hold talks with the government and take decisions about it.

The source also revealed that Maulana Fazlur Rehman was likely to lead the rally from Sukkur, and the backdoor contacts were also expected to be active during the rally too.

The JUI-F leadership was also keeping in mind the Plan-B in case of no resignation of the Prime Minister. According to the source, the JUI-F leadership was trying to get another way for face-saving as they have reached a point of no return.

The source further said that the JUI-F leadership may quit the demand of asking for the resignation of the Prime Minister and will hold talks with the government on other demands.

On Tuesday last, Maulana had told the foreign media that the JUI-F will not follow the sit-in of the incumbent government held in 2014 against the PML-N government.

The JUI-F chief also clarified that his party will not clash with any state institutions.

Meanwhile, following the telephonic conversation between Pervaiz Khattak and Akram Khan Durrani, a meeting has been fixed between the government committee and Opposition’s Rehbar Committee for today to discuss the upcoming Azadi March of JUI-F against the PTI-led government.

According to the sources, the head of the government committee Pervaiz Khattak had contacted the Rehbar Committee convener Akram Durrani, while Speaker Punjab Assembly Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi contacted Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman and sought time for the meeting.

The talks will be held at the residence of Rehbar Committee chief Akram Durrani.