- Fazl, top JUI-F leaders may be detained if talks fail
- Petition in IHC seeks action against Fazl over remarks against Pakistan Army
- LHC fixes petition against JUI-F’s Azadi March for hearing
- Police arrest two JUI-F leaders in Islamabad
ISLAMABAD, October 21: The federal government has prepared to thwart Jamiat Ulema-e Islam-Fazl’s (JUI-F) Azadi March which is said to begin on October 27.
It was reported that a control room has been set up at the interior ministry. Authorities have placed containers at the bridge connecting Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with Punjab to thwart movement of the marchers.
Authorities are waiting for the interior ministry’s decision on whether the bridge should be closed or not. Police have started using trailers to place containers at the bridge.
In Islamabad, police arrested two JUI-F leaders on charges of instigating people to take part in the Azadi March.
A case was registered against two JUI-F leaders in Landhi, Karachi, for collecting funds forcefully for the party’s Azadi March. Another case against the JUI-F chief’s Azadi March will be heard at the Lahore High Court (LHC) on Tuesday.
Earlier, talks between the government and the JUI-F broke down on Sunday. JUI-F’s Abdul Ghafoor Haideri and Senate Chairman Sanjrani were supposed to hold talks on Sunday but that didn’t materialise.
The Rahbar committee will now hold talks with the government. A meeting of the committee has been called on October 22.
The JUI-F chief has lashed out at Prime Minister Imran Khan. He blamed the prime minister for rising unemployment in the country and the dismal situation of the economy. Maulana Fazl has claimed that the Azadi March was a war against the government which would only end with its downfall.
Defence Minister Pervez Khattak had expressed hope that talks between the JUI-F and the federal government would yield fruit.
“The government was in constant contact with JUI-F and other opposition leaders to avert the march and was receiving positive response in that regard,” he had said a day earlier.
Khattak had said that meaningful negotiations with the JUI-F leadership would be held and the government had constituted a reconciliation committee to ensure that a peaceful resolution to the conflict could be reached. Following a high-level meeting, the government on Sunday decided in principle to prevent the sit-in (dharna) by the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) in federal capital, even if it has to go for detention of top leadership of JUI-F, including its chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman.
“In case of breakdown in negotiation between the government and JUI-F, the law enforcement agencies will detain Maulana Fazlur Rehman with the key leadership of the party,” sources told The News.
“Maulana Fazlur Rehman could be detained well before the planned dharna scheduled on Oct 31,” highly placed sources in interior ministry said on the condition of anonymity.
Meanwhile, two leaders of Jamiat Ulema Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) were arrested from Islamabad on Monday and a case was lodged against them by the police.
According to reports, Maulana Shafiq-ur-Rehman and Maulana Muhammad Irshad were arrested from Shams Colony along with banners for the JUI-F sit-in in their possession.
Police allege that the duo were urging people to participate in the Azaadi March being organised by the JUI-F against the government of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf.
Lahore High Court (LHC) on Monday has fixed petition against Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl’s (JUI-F) anti-government protest Azadi March for hearing.
The plaintiff has adopted the stance that constitutional government cannot be dissolved before completing its five year tenure. JUI-F Chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman has formed private army for protecting his Azadi March, the plea claimed.
The petitioner further demanded the court to take up the case and stop JUI-F activists’ private army from holding illegal sit-in in the federal capital, Islamabad.
A citizen on Monday approached the Islamabad High Court (IHC) seeking its directives for the government to act against the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) and its chief Maulana Fazl ur Rehman over his controversial remarks.
Shahjahan Khan moved the petition calling for action against the JUI-F chief for allegedly issuing remarks against state institutions, the Pakistan Army in particular.
He cited Fazl, the chief election commissioner and the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) as respondents.The petitioner states that the government be questioned over inaction against the JUI-F chief’s speech in question. He demanded that the government outlaw the religio-political party and impose a ban on the broadcast of Fazl’s speeches. Agencies
