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JUI-F Chief Fazlur Rehman

ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari on Saturday has requested Jamiat ul Ulema Islam (JUI–F) Chief Maula Fazlur Rehman to rejoin the Parliamentary Committee on National Security (PCNS), DawnNews reported.

In a telephonic conversation on Saturday, the president appealed to the JUI-F chief to review his decision of boycotting the PCNS and the parliament’s session over the domestic violence bill.

Refusing the president's request, Fazlur Rehman said that it was his party’s decision and he cannot change it on his own.

JUI-F chief said that the recommendations of the national security committee are already decided so there is no point for his party to be a part of it.

Speaking about parliament’s session over the domestic violence bill, Fazlur Rehman said that his party would not let the parliament become a ‘hostage’ of the NGO’s.

The party leadership will meet on Monday to decide on whether to participate in the parliamentary committees or not, the JUI-F chief added.

Earlier on  Friday, the PCNS, redrafting its recommendations for new terms of engagement with the US, suffered a setback when the JUI-F decided to detach itself from the committee.

He said that his party would not be used to approve decisions which had already been taken by others.

The Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N)  had also boycotted the committee’s meeting for three days

Talking to media representatives on Friday, leader of the opposition Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan also threatened to quit his office if the supply routes were reopened.

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