LAHORE, Oct 8: The Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam doesn’t see any future for the All Parties Democratic Movement, but will like the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal to remain intact and play a better political role, the party’s chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman says.
He told Dawn on Monday that his party was part of the APDM in its individual capacity, not as a member of the MMA. Therefore, he said, it would review its relationship with the coalition because of the latter’s role in the NWFP assembly.
Set up in July at an all-party conference in London, the APDM comprises the MMA, Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz), Awami National Party, Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaaf and a number of smaller parties.
The Pakistan People’s Party, which was an ally of the PML-N in the Alliance for the Restoration of Democracy, opted out of the new alliance, mainly because of its reservations over MMA’s role in the adoption of the 17th Amendment.
Answering a question, Maulana Fazl said so far the JUI (F) had been trying to ensure that the MMA had a common stand on all issues. However, in view of the requirements of the new situation this policy would also be revised.
The Maulana indicated that his party would now decide whether to have a separate stand on various issues or go by the MMA’s policy.
He was critical of the APDM parties for tendering resignation from the NWFP assembly at a time when a no-confidence motion had been tabled against Chief Minister Akram Durrani, who belongs to the JUI (F). He said the initiative was against the political traditions of the province, and it was not morally justifiable for anyone to leave the allies in difficult situations.
“We wanted to dissolve the assembly and launch a formidable campaign against dictatorship. But, unfortunately, people who are in the habit of taking hasty decisions changed the situation by tendering resignations.”
The JUI (F) chief said now his party would study the situation very carefully and take appropriate decisions.
For the time being, he said, no meeting of the party was being called. “We are not in a hurry,” he said.
The Maulana also said that after advising the governor to dissolve the NWFP assembly, the JUI (F) was not bothered about who runs the province and how. Akram Durrani, he said, was not interested in getting a place in the interim set-up.
