ISLAMABAD: Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman has claimed that former prime minister Nawaz Sharif has assured him that the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) would participate in the long march against the government next month.

Talking to reporters after a meeting of JUI-F on Thursday, he said Mr Sharif’s message had been conveyed to him by retired Captain Mohammad Safdar, the spouse of Maryam Nawaz.

The Maulana said Mr Sharif had sent the message that PML-N was ready to take part in the anti-government march on whatever date the JUI-F would finalise for it. He said they had prepared a plan of action to hold the long march towards Islamabad aimed at ousting the government.

Maulana Fazl said they had prepared the lists of the first tier, second tier and so on in case the government launched a crackdown. He said they were not afraid of arrests and their programme to hold the long march was final.

Published in Dawn, September 6th, 2019