Nawaz Sharif assures Fazlur Rehman to address ‘reservations’

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif met with Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) Maulana Fazlur Rehman and sought the latter’s support in the elections for Prime Minister (PM) slot, ARY News reported.

The sources privy to the development said that during the meeting Maulana Fazlur Rehman expressed ‘severe’ reservations over the elections results. Nawaz Sharif assured the JUI-F chief that his reservations would be addressed.

According to the sources, Nawaz Sharif tried to persuade Maulana Fazalur Rehman to join the government but the JUI-F chief kept expressing the reservations.

The sources said that Nawaz Sharif requested Maulana Fazlur Rehman not to boycott the prime minister’s election and vote for his brother Shehbaz Sharif.

Meanwhile, the two leaders also discussed the political situation of the country.

PML-N leaders Ishaq Dar, Ahsan Iqbal, Rana Sanaullah, and Saad Rafiq and JUI-F’s Abdul Ghafoor Haideri, Governor Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Haji Ghulam Ali and Noor Alam Khan were also present during the meeting.

Speaking to media after the meeting, Rana Sanaullah during the meeting all national issues were taken into consideration. He said that a one-on-one meeting between Nawaz Sharif and Maulana Fazlur Rehman was also held.

“Nawaz Sharif did not come to seek Maulana Fazlur Rehman’s support in the prime minister’s elections instead political situation of the country was discussed,” he added.

It is pertinent to mention here that JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman on Thursday said that his party will not participate in the election process for the National Assembly speaker, deputy speaker, prime minister, and president.

Speaking to the media after the inaugural session of the NA, Maulana Fazlur Rehman categorically stated that the JUI-F will sit on the opposition benches in the parliament.

We will not be part of the election of speaker and deputy speaker of the National Assembly and prime minister,” he stressed.