LAHORE: Maulana Fazlur Rehman, chief of his own faction of Jamiat Ulema Islam (JUI), visited Jamaat-i-Islami headquarters here on Monday to congratulate Sirajul Haq on becoming emir of the party.

The two leaders discussed international scene, besides the political situation obtaining in the country with special reference to the working of the religious parties, a release issued after the meeting said.

Though Maulana Fazl said his was a courtesy call and had nothing to do with revival of the defunct Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal, a six-party religious alliance that ruled Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province during 2002-07, sources said the issue was very much on the agenda of the meeting between the two leaders.

Mr Haq was finance minister in the MMA’s provincial government.

KP chapter of the JI had been in favour of reviving the MMA before the May 11, 2013 general election but then emir Syed Munawwar Hasan rejected the move.

The sources said JI’s ongoing cooperation with the Tehreek-i-Insaf, an arch rival of the JUI, was another ‘matter of mutual interest’ between the two leaders.

Speaking at a joint press conference after the meeting, Mr Haq said religious parties were a reality which could not be ignored.

He said the Constitution was Islamic in character and those who were ‘disloyal’ to it and the Pakistan ideology were not faithful to the country.

He said had the Election Commission enforced Articles 62 and 63 of the Constitution effectively during the election process, the situation would have been totally different today.

To a question about Nawaz Sharif’s visit to India, he said the prime minister should truly represent the nation and take up with the Indian leaders the issues of Kashmir and water, and should also meet the Hurriyet Conference leadership there.

Maulana said the prime minister’s was a formal, goodwill visit and no serious talks were expected on the occasion.

He said one should be optimistic about the new leadership in India but should have no misgivings.

Published in Dawn, May 27th, 2014