Fazl ur Rehman meets Afaq Ahmed as JUI-F eyes anti-PPP alliance in Sindh: sources

KARACHI: Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) has decided to establish an anti-PPP alliance in the Sindh province, joining hands with like-minded political groups and personalities, ARY NEWS reported quoting sources.

According to sources privy to the development, JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman has been approached by political leaders from the province.

MQM-Haqiqi chief Afaq Ahmed has also met Maulana Fazlur Rehman with the former requesting the JUI-F chief to activate his party cadres in Karachi.

The sources said that the meeting between Afaq Ahmed and Maulana Fazlur Rehman also discussed the political situation in Karachi in the aftermath of factions within MQM-P.

The JUI-F chief is also likely to meet MQM-P leadership soon.

This is not the first time that reports have emerged regarding JUI-F eyeing a political alliance against PPP in the province as the former’s provincial chief Rashid Somroo had given tough time to the PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto with the support of other parties including PTI and GDA in the last elections after securing 50,000 votes in PPP’s stronghold of Larkana.

On May 24, a report quoting sources stated that JUI-F has been maneuvering in Sindh to form a new political alliance to give tough time to Pakistan People’s Party (PPP).

JUI-F central leader Rashid Soomro has contacted key political personalities of Sindh to appease them for joining the new alliance. According to sources, the inclusion process will be based on important political figures instead of traditionally admitting political parties in the alliance.

It emerged that JUI-F’s Rashid Soomro has held meetings with Ali Gohar Mahar, Zulfiqar Mirza, Sardar Moazzam Abbasi, Ibrahim Jatoi, Hasnain Mirza, Agha Taimoor, Sadaruddin Rashidi and Liaquat Jatoi.

Moreover, he also held telephonic conversations with the heads of nationalist parties including Ayaz Latif Palijo, Dr Qadir Magsi, Jalal Mehmood Shah and Sanan Qureshi.