July 06, 2007	Friday	Jamadi-us-Sani 20, 1428

ISLAMABAD, July 5: Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman will leave for London on Friday morning to lead a three-member team of his party at the multi-party conference, convened by PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif.

The JUI-F chief, who arrived in the federal capital on July 3 when the Lal Masjid crisis erupted, is said to have been in touch with Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz. He has been making efforts to resolve the crisis, avert bloodshed and provide a face- saving exit to Maulana Ghazi holed up in the Lal Masjid compound. Maulana Fazl postponed his planned Wednesday’s departure for London because of the standoff.

JUI-F secretary-general Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri and Maulana Lutfur Rehman will accompany Maulana Fazl.

A delegation led by Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal president Qazi Hussain Ahmed had left for London on Wednesday.

Maulana Fazl, who is also secretary-general of the MMA and leader of the opposition in the National Assembly, had through various channels called for postponing the MPC in view of the Lal Masjid situation.

Maulana Haideri told Dawn that the JUF-F chief had pleaded the case of Maulana Ghazi with the prime minister claiming that he was not involved in the occupation of the children’s library and other incidents in Islamabad and he should be given ‘safe passage’. He said Maulana Fazl was waiting for a reply from the PM.