ISLAMABAD, May 18: The PML-N formally invited the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl on Saturday to join the federal government. But Maulana Fazlur Rehman, the JUI-F chief, remained characteristically non-committal, saying the “coalition needs to be expanded further”.

The invitation was extended to JUI-F by a PML-N delegation, led by Senator Raja Zafarul Haq, and comprising MNA-elect Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry and a leader from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Khawaja Mohammad Khan Hoti.

The PML-N delegation arrived at Maulana Fazlur Rehman’s residence in the ministers’ colony here at a time when his party’s executive body was meeting.

The delegation stayed there for around an hour and extended a formal invitation for the JUI-F to join the government.

“The decision to join the government in the centre will be taken by the party’s executive committee which is still discussing the matter,” the JUI-F chief told reporters after the meeting.

“However, we believe that the bonds of the coalition need to be expanded to a vast area,” he said.

The Maulana was barraged with questions if his statement meant more seats in the cabinet or extending the coalition to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

However, the ‘evergreen politician’ smiled to pass over the queries and said the two sides were deliberating on modalities of the likely alliance.

He calmly denied that his party had demanded any portfolio or the chairmanship of the Kashmir Committee.

Maulana Fazl said the JUI-F executive committee’s discussion to devise its policy and modalities of the possible alliance was likely to be finalised by Sunday.

Apart from 10 seats in the coming National Assembly, the JUI-F has seven members in the Senate and 13 MPAs-elect in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly and six in Balochistan.

Senator Raja Zafarul Haq said the two sides had shown willingness to work in alliance, that was a welcome sign, and only the modalities remained to be decided.

Without specifying the demands made by the JUI-F, he said the alliance would be in accordance with PML-N’s policies.

“The country is facing multiple problems and we want all parties to join us to finding the solutions to them,” he said.

The PML-N leader said he was taking a message of Maulana Fazl to his party’s seniors and their response would be conveyed to the JUI-F.