LAHORE: “Those who have crossed over to the government side have already got an NRO and others do not need it,” says Maulana Fazlur Rehman, chief of his own faction of Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam during media talk after his party’s shura (consultative body) meeting.

A rather grim looking Fazlur Rehman, who was reportedly on a mission to bring all opposition on a joint anti-government platform, told media that the opposition was in no hurry to do anything: “We would do everything carefully and not rush into anything.”

His facial expressions were noted by a questioner, who asked if it reflected failure of his mission, but Fazl told him after a laughter:

“Everyone in opposition is mature. They (Nawaz and Zardari) have spent life time either in power or opposition. They know how important it was to stay united and launch a joint struggle from a common platform. The opposition is calculating each and every thing carefully and will plan on its own terms.”

He said the country has two brands of politics: one of establishment and other of democratic forces. The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) is used to first brand of politics.

“It has rather always been used for political ends, be it an era of Pervez Musharraf or Imran Khan. The political parties committed a mistake by not altering the NAB during the 18th Amendment and I am on record saying that after the amendment. It has come back to haunt them now.”

Published in Dawn, October 28th, 2018

Download the new Dawn mobile app here:

Google Play

Apple Store