Jamaat accused of non-cooperation

Published December 23, 2002

LAHORE, Dec 22: The JUI-F alleges that the Jamaat-i-Islami is not taking the rest of the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal into confidence while holding talks with other parties for cooperation in bypolls.

The Punjab executive of the JUI-F has informed party’s central leadership of the “go alone policy of the Jamaat leaders”.

JUI-F president MNA Maulana Fazlur Rahman had taken up the matter at the MMA summit meeting held in Peshawar on Dec 17, besides discussing the issue with Jamaat amir MNA Qazi Husain Ahmad, separately.

JUI-F information secretary Riaz Durrani said they had reservations about Jamaat’s attitude as it was neither consulting other components of the MMA nor including them in the team meant for negotiating electoral cooperation with the PML-Q, the PPP and the PML-N. He alleged that Jamaat leaders were presenting their own decisions as unanimous views of the MMA.

“They had exhibited the same attitude during the last general elections which had created bitterness among other MMA constituents,” Mr Durrani said.

He said Maulana Fazl had made it clear to Punjab PML-N secretary-general MNA Saad Rafiq when the latter called on him on Dec 19 that his party nominees would take part in the bypolls from all seats if the League and the Jamaat continued to take decisions in this regard without consulting other alliance members. Maulana Fazl had also refused to withdraw JUI-F candidate from the Bhakkar constituency vacated by PML-Q leader Shujaat Husain, he said.

He said Saad had met Fazl to seek his support for convincing the Jamaat not to field its candidates from the two provincial assembly seats in Lahore.

Meanwhile, the general council of the Punjab JUI-F will meet here in the first week of January to discuss the political situation and organization matters of the party.

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