KARACHI - Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief and candidate for president slot Maulana Fazlur Rehman on Wednesday visited the Grand Democratic Alliance and Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan leadership but returned empty-handed after being refused support for his candidature.
The MMA chief, who was on a mission to Karachi to gather support for his candidature as president, failed to persuade the two parties who are in alliance with the PTI-led federal government.
On Wednesday, Fazal seeking support for presidential slot held a meeting with the Grand Democratic Alliance’s (GDA) and Pakistan Muslim League-Functional (PML-F) Chief Pir Pagara Sibghatullah Shah Rashdi at Kingri House Karachi. During the meeting the entire political situation and especially the presidential election scheduled to be held on September 4-next month came under discussion.
“I am going to put the proposal of Fazalur Rehman in front of GAD leadership soon and final decision would be made after consultation,” said Rashid while talking to the media men after the meeting.
On the occasion, Fazal said: “Kingri House is actually the home of hope and I have come here with some expectation. The grand opposition has nominated me as a candidate for the presentational election. I am sure that GDA would support me in this regard. He said that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) currently hold the status of largest parties but still do not carry the accurate numbers to mark victory in presidential election. Some tension created between Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz during the nomination of the candidate for Presidential polls but later PML-N leader suggested my name, which was acceptable by the PPP leadership.”
Responding to a query, Fazl said that he could withdraw in favour of PPP nominee Aitzaz Ahsan if both the PML-N and PPP agree on his candidature.
Moreover, Fazulur Rehman also reached MQM-Pakistan Bahadurabad office in the hunt for its support in the presidential election. MQM-Pakistan Senior Deputy Convener Amir Khan, Deputy Convener Kanwar Naveed Jameel, Coordination Committee member Waseem Akhter and Faisal Sabzwari were present during the meeting with MMA chief. During the meeting the presidential election came under discussion.
The political forces do contact with each other to discuss any matter and it is the charm of democracy, said MQM-Pakistan Coordination Committee member Ameenul Haq while talking to The Nation. He said that Fazal contacted MQM-Pakistan leadership with a desire to visit party headquarter and MMA chief was given warm welcome by the MQM-P leadership. However there is no chance of supporting the opposition candidate in the presidential election as MQM-Pakistan is the part of PTI‘s led federal government, he added.
“MQM-PTI currently in alliance and party legislators voted in favour of Imran Khan at the time of Prime Minister Election. We have signed an MoU and moving forward MQM-Pakistan legislators would vote PTI‘s candidate in presidential election,” clarified Ameen.
Furthermore, he said that MQM-P is a democratic force and in future it will continue contacts with other political forces of country including MMA and JUI-Fazal.
