PESHAWAR: Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman on Saturday said the major opposition political parties should not vacillate between confrontation and compromises and should play the role of the real opposition to begin a decisive movement against the government.

Without naming the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz and Pakistan Peoples Party, the JUI-F leader told reporters at the Awami National Party’s central secretariat here that the opposition parties were in a state of confusion and were hesitant to determine their future line of action.

“Two major political parties should clarify their stand as despite claiming to be part of the opposition, they have been supporting the government in parliament for anti-people legislation,” he said.

Mr Fazl visited the ANP’s secretariat to condole the death of the brother of ANP central secretary general Mian Iftikhar Hussain, who had died of novel coronavirus in March last.

Senior ANP leader Ghulam Ahmad Bilour was also present there.

Says FATF legislation compromised national sovereignty

The JUI-F leader said on one hand, they (PPP and PML-N) claimed to be in the opposition but on the other, they had been supporting the government in parliament for crucial legislation.

He said the opposition parties could win the trust of the common man against the government only if there was no contradiction between words and deeds of the leadership.

Mr Fazl said the opposition should not help the government for the Financial Action Task Force-related bills’ approval.

He said the nation’s sovereignty and freedom had been compromised through the bills.

“On one hand, the nation observed the Independence Day on Aug 14 but on the other, the country’s sovereignty was surrendered through the passage of FATF bills,” he said asking major political parties not to play the role of facilitators in that respect.

The JUI-F leader said he was in contact with the leaders of opposition parties to chalk out a joint strategy for an anti-government movement. He said the opposition parties should have a new charter to prevent the stealing of the people mandate.

Mr Fazl expressed displeasure over the diplomatic deal between United Arab Emirates and Israel and said the US was pressuring small and weak states to recognise the state of Israel and strike deals with it.

“UAE is a small and weak country and its ownership lies with the US,” he said, adding that the Gulf country was a puppet being ruled by a so-called family.

The JUI-F leader said UAE represented neither the Arab world nor the Muslim Ummah.

He urged Muslim countries to come up with a clear stand on Palestinian and Kashmir issues.

On the occasion, ANP leader Mian Iftikhar Hussain said only free and fair elections could steer the country out of political and economic crises.

He said there was consensus among political parties that results of the last general elections were changed to install a selected prime minister.

Published in Dawn, August 16th, 2020