RAWALPINDI: Maulana Mufti Mahmud, former Chief Minister of NWFP had a meeting with President Bhutto here tonight [Feb 17]. Last night he had a long session with the Punjab Governor, Mr Ghulam Mustafa Khar. He had been invited for a meeting with the President last night but the time given for the meeting was rather late and on reaching here the Maulana felt it to be inconvenient for himself. He was received instead by the Punjab Governor and his meeting with the President was postponed. …

The Maulana, who is the head of the JUI, a partner in the coalition which was in power in NWFP till he resigned as Chief Minister of the Province, was not present at the joint Op­­position’s meeting here this morning. The reason given by the Opposition sources was that after his meeting with the Punjab Governor … the Maulana had gone back to Peshawar and could not return to Pindi in time. … Speculations were current in the capital today that efforts were on to persuade the Maulana to reconstitute a Government in the NWFP, leaving the NAP out, in coalition with Mr Ajmal Khattak’s United Front, the Qayyum League and the PPP. The Maulana was not available after his meeting with the President for comments.

Published in Dawn, February 18th, 2023