ISLAMABAD: Having finally reached a conclusion that the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) unification process would only end up widening the gap between the two groups, the PFUJ unification committee dissolved itself hours before the scheduled polls for a unified body on Aug 27.

According to a press release, the two factions, one led by Rana Azeem and the other by Afzal Butt, had publicly reposed full confidence in the unification committee and had even signed a settlement document. However, they kept trying to impose their own respective ideas about how to proceed.

The unification committee comprised Mohammad Ziauddin, I.A. Rehman, Hussain Naqi, Khawar Naeem Hashmi, Shahidur Rahman, Nasir Zaidi, Rahimullah Yusufzai, Habib Khan Ghori and Siddique Baloch.

The Rana Azeem group displayed its complete no-confidence in the committee by holding elections of its faction of the PFUJ in Murree in May this year. The Afzal Butt group tried to hold the elections of its own faction in Peshawar by refusing to withdraw the candidatures of Afzal Butt (for president’s post) and Khurshid Abbasi (secretary general), the press release said.

The committee appreciated the Khyber Union of Journalists for accepting its request to hold the BDM (biennial delegates meeting) at Peshawar on Aug 25-27 at a short notice.

The main reason for the committee’s failure to achieve its objectives was the lack of cooperation from different factions of the PFUJ. The committee members felt the faction leaders were interested more in holding on to their positions rather than unifying and saving the PFUJ.

Published in Dawn, August 31st, 2016