LAHORE:
PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari met JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman at the latter’s residence, amid speculation that he was seeking the Maulana’s support for another constitutional amendment and a possible alliance in the upcoming elections in Gilgit-Baltistan and Kashmir.
However, the JUI-F refuted these speculations, saying the meeting did not have a specific agenda and that overall geopolitical tensions were being addressed.
Earlier in the day, a PPP delegation led by President Bilawal Bhutto Zardari – and including former Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf, Nayyar Hussain Bukhari and PPP Kashmir Chairman Chaudhry Yasin – arrived at the residence of Maulana Fazlur Rehman. The JUI-F chief was accompanied by his son, Maulana Asadur Rehman.
According to the JUI-F, the meeting lasted about two hours, including a brief one-on-one interaction of about 10 minutes between the PPP chairman and the JUI-F leader.
Following the meeting, media reports quoting sources claimed that the PPP had sought support from the JUI-F in elections in Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan and was also trying to bring the Maulana on board for the 28th constitutional amendment.
JUI-F leader Kamran Murtaza said all these speculations were incorrect as no such issue was discussed in the meeting. He said overall the overall geopolitical situation was under discussion and there was no specific agenda.
He added that he was not aware of the one-on-one meeting between the two leaders, although it was brief.
Asked if the presence of PPP’s Kashmir chapter president had fueled speculation, he said even though Chaudhry Yasin was present, no such issue was discussed.
Responding to another question regarding the claims of a JUI-F source – who cited a meeting between Maulana Fazlur Rehman and National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq a day earlier and suggested that Maulana’s residence had once again become the “ground zero” of Pakistani politics – Murtaza confirmed that the meeting took place but said he was not aware of its details.
Despite multiple attempts, no PPP leader was available to comment on the matter.
