Khattak-led committee to meet JUI-F leader for talks tomorrow

ISLAMABAD: A high-powered committee entrusted with the task of holding dialogue with the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) made the first formal contact with the party on Saturday, ARY News reported.

Sources said Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani held a telephonic conversation with JUI-F leader Abdul Ghafoor Haideri.

The committee led by Federal Minister for Defence Pervez Khattak will meet the JUI-F leader at 8pm tomorrow at his residence at the Parliament Lodges.

In a statement following the telephonic conversation, Haideri said they are ready to hold talks with the committee if it visits them for the purpose. He said they will see how far the government listens to their demands.

Earlier today, Defence Minister Pervez Khattak said the government is not mulling over the option to call in the military in the federal capital Islamabad in view of the upcoming protests of the opposition parties.

While addressing a press conference alongside Federal Education Minister Shafqat Mahmood after a meeting of the committee, he rejected speculations regarding the government considering an option to summon the military troops in Islamabad to deal with the forthcoming ‘Azadi March’ announced by the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl (JUI-F) supremo Maulana Fazlur Rehman.

“There is no need to call military here nor the government is considering it. The reports are baseless and it seems that an agenda designed by the anti-Pakistan elements are being followed. I am sure that Maulana will not fulfil the agenda of someone else.”

Pervez Khattak also said “I am requesting all opposition parties to talks to us. Anarchy will be spread if the parties don’t bring forward their demands and it will be held responsible. If you will not talk to us then we will definitely perform our duties.”