LAHORE:
PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari met JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman at the latter’s residence amid speculation that he was seeking the Maulana’s support for another constitutional amendment and a possible alliance in the upcoming elections in Gilgit-Baltistan and Kashmir.
The JUI-F, however, dismissed these speculations, stating that the meeting had no specific agenda and that overall geopolitical tensions were discussed.
Earlier in the day, a PPP delegation led by Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari – and comprising former Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf, Nayyar Hussain Bukhari and PPP Kashmir President Chaudhry Yasin – arrived at Maulana Fazlur Rehman’s residence. The JUI-F chief was accompanied by his son, Maulana Asadur Rehman.
According to the JUI-F, the meeting lasted for about two hours, including a brief one-on-one interaction of about 10 minutes between the PPP chairman and the JUI-F chief.
After the meeting, media reports citing sources claimed that the PPP had sought the JUI-F’s support in the Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan elections and was also trying to take the Maulana on board regarding the 28th constitutional amendment.
JUI-F leader Kamran Murtaza said all such speculations were wrong as no such issues were discussed during the meeting. He said the overall geopolitical situation largely came up for discussion and there was no specific agenda.
He added that he was not aware of the one-on-one meeting between the two leaders, although it was brief.
When asked if the presence of the PPP’s Kashmir chapter president had led to speculation, he said that while Chaudhry Yasin was present, no such issues were discussed.
In response to another question regarding allegations by a JUI-F source – who cited a meeting between Maulana Fazlur Rehman and National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq a day earlier and suggested that the Maulana’s residence had once again become “ground zero” in Pakistani politics – Murtaza confirmed that the meeting had taken place but said he was not aware of its details.
Despite several attempts, no PPP leader was available for comment on the matter.
