JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman calls for dialogue and political consensus as opposition leaders seek a joint agenda amid PTI’s long march.

ISLAMABAD: Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman has called on the government to allow Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) to exercise its democratic right to hold a long march toward Islamabad, stressing that peaceful political protest should be respected.

Speaking to reporters after meeting opposition leaders at his residence, Fazl said the government should trust PTI’s assurances that its demonstration would remain peaceful. He also criticised measures aimed at preventing protesters from entering the federal capital.

The meeting was attended by Senate Opposition Leader Allama Raja Nasir Abbas, former National Assembly speaker Asad Qaiser and PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja. The opposition delegation discussed the prevailing political situation and invited Fazl to participate in a proposed All-Parties Conference (APC).

Fazl said political disputes should be resolved through dialogue and that negotiations could have produced results if forces operating behind the scenes had not become involved. He said successful negotiations required flexibility and a willingness by all sides to accommodate each other.

He also rejected suggestions that opposition politicians’ patriotism or loyalty to the state should be questioned. Fazl said political parties must respect the Constitution and the state while calling for a balanced political environment.

Regarding the proposed APC, Fazl said he had been invited to attend the gathering and that his party would consider the proposal before making a decision. He said consultations among political parties should lead to a common agenda addressing national issues.

Discussing the situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Fazl questioned the repeated reliance on military operations to counter terrorism. He referred to previous operations in areas including Swat and Waziristan and said many affected residents had yet to return to their homes.

He also expressed concern over the deteriorating security situation in KP and questioned how long military operations could continue without addressing what he described as the underlying problems.

Raja Nasir Abbas said the opposition delegation wanted Fazl to join efforts to develop a consensus-based political agenda. He said political instability could create space for extremist tendencies when the political process was disrupted. He also said Fazl did not support proposals for imposing governor’s rule or an emergency in KP.

Salman Akram Raja said efforts to negotiate with the government had temporarily failed but maintained that dialogue remained possible. He said coercive measures had increased the distance between the public and the state and described PTI founder Imran Khan’s political struggle as being centred on the Constitution and rule of law.