LAHORE, Dec 15: The shoora (consultative body) of the JUI-F has allowed its president and opposition leader in the National Assembly, Maulana Fazlur Rahman, and NWFP Chief Minister Akram Durrani to attend next National Security Council meeting(s). The permission came after a three-day meeting of the shoora which concluded here on Wednesday.

Briefing journalists on Thursday about decisions taken at the meeting, Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (Fazl) Secretary-General Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri said participation in the NSC, especially by Mr Durrani, would be in the best interest of the province, so the MMA should also allow him to attend the meeting.

The issue, he said, would be taken up in the supreme council of the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal which was due to meet next week.

The participation, Mr Haideri argued, would enable Mr Durrani to fight his province’s case in a better way with the powers that mattered.

The council also decided to hold party elections in 2,006 and nominated Khalid Mehmood as election commissioner, he said.