ISLAMABAD, June 12: The JUI-F assured Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani on Tuesday of its support against demands for the government’s resignation and for early general election.

According to a handout, a delegation of JUI-F parliamentarians led by MNA Maulana Attaur Rehman, brother of party chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, “complimented the prime minister for pursuing the policy of decency in politics and giving no regard to politics of victimisation and vendetta during his tenure”.

The JUI-F is the second largest opposition party, but has remained away from PML-N’s agitation in parliament and sit-ins held to press the government to hold early polls. PML-N leader Siddiqul Farooq, when asked about the impact of the JUI-F’s stance on his party’s campaign, said: “We have welcomed the JUI-F whenever it decided to side with the opposition but regrettably its political priorities revolve around its own interests.”

The meeting came two weeks after Prime Minister Gilani made a surprise dash to the residence of Maulana Fazl to gain his support against the PML-N’s expected protests during the National Assembly’s budget session.

Talking to the prime minister, Maulana Atta said the PML-N was agitating inside and outside the house because it wanted to dispel the impression that it was a “friendly opposition” party, but its tactics would neither help the party itself nor the democratic dispensation in the country.

Explaining the purpose of the meeting, MNA Maulvi Muhammad Agha said: “My party is against early elections or derailing democracy hence we assured PM Gilani of our continued support to democracy.” The team asked the prime minister to set up a refinery in Karak to provide jobs to local people instead of transporting the oil extracted from the area to Karachi at a heavy expenditur.