LAHORE:
The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) said on Saturday it would continue to engage with the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) on a case-by-case basis, while acknowledging that efforts to build a broader opposition alliance had failed amid mutual distrust and political differences.
PTI Information Secretary Sheikh Waqas Akram regretted that the JUI-F had “exhausted all our previous efforts to form a grand opposition alliance”, while refuting the party’s claim that the PTI had changed its position on the 26th Amendment.
However, he maintained that the PTI would continue its engagement on the issues, as proposed by the JUI-F.
While the talks between the Tehreek-e-Tahafuz-e-Aeen-e-Pakistan (TTAP) and the JUI-F failed to produce any significant results, both sides blamed each other for the failure of the opposition’s coordination efforts.
The JUI-F accused the PTI, the key part of the alliance, of betrayal during deliberations on the 26th Amendment, alleging that it had “sown a seed of mistrust” between them.
He also cited lack of leadership within the PTI as the reason for the failure to form a broader alliance. The PTI, however, insisted that its position on the 26th Amendment was unequivocal and had been clearly conveyed to Maulana Fazlur Rehman during the meetings.
The PTI, in turn, raised its own concerns, saying it expected the JUI-F chief would not support the adoption of the 26th Amendment.
According to the PTI, he not only went against their advice but also gave a misleading impression about the PTI’s stand on the issue.
During the deliberations on the amendment, it was further contended that the Maulana had explored the idea of seat adjustment in Dera Ismail Khan as a quid pro quo, to which the then Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur expressed his willingness to make a number of seat adjustments, subject to the approval of the party founder.
However, the PTI claimed that Maulana’s party ultimately chose to stand with the government, thereby betraying the opposition.
The PTI also accused him of deliberately maintaining a vague stance to keep contacts open with the government.
Sheikh Waqas Akram said it was Imran Khan’s instruction to the PTI: “to involve all opposition actors, to form a grand opposition alliance.”
“We met the JUI-F leader several times for this purpose. The Maulana, however, took time to discuss our proposals with his party leaders and later declined their offer, saying that the JUI-F executive council had deliberated on the proposal and decided to work with the opposition parties only on an issue-by-issue basis.”
He added that the PTI hoped that the JUI-F would take a strong stand on issues concerning the people, including inflation, law and order and the 28th Amendment. He further clarified that the recent rapprochement was not done directly by the PTI but through the TTAP and should be seen in this context.
On the other hand, the JUI-F reiterated that it remained open to forming an opposition alliance, even with the PTI, on national issues. JUI-F leader Maulana Amjad said nothing was currently in the works in the opposition camp.
“We have already announced a nationwide protest at the district headquarters level against inflation on May 22,” Maulana Amjad told The Express PK Press Club.
He clarified that the party had not invited any opposition group to join the protest as it was solely an initiative of the JUI-F.
He said exploring the possibility of an alliance with the PTI raised two major issues: first, the unresolved distrust of the 26th Amendment, and second, what he described as the absence of effective leadership within the PTI.
He said internal struggles within the PTI remained an “insurmountable obstacle” to any alliance, adding that they actually benefited the government in power in Parliament.
“The absence of a formidable opposition amounts to giving the government a loophole in the Legislative Assembly,” he said.
Maulana Amjad added that internal divisions in the PTI had weakened its political positioning, stressing that the party’s current fixation remained on the issue of Imran Khan’s release.
