ISLAMABAD: Demons­trating a flexibility that is quite unlike with its traditional stance, a delegation of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) on Thursday paid a visit to the residence of Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman.

While leaders of both the parties termed it a “non-political event”, saying that the PTI delegation — led by former National Assembly speaker Asad Qaiser — had only come to condole with Maulana Fazl over the death of his mother-in-law, political analysts and experts are declaring it a “significant development” against the backdrop of the bitter rivalry between the two parties in the past.

Both the Maulana and PTI Chairman Imran Khan are known to be “bitter political rivals” and not only the members of the two parties, but also their heads had been seen launching personal attacks against each other.

The “condolence meeting”, according to sources, lasted for more than an hour and the PTI delegation members even offered Maghrib prayers led by the Maulana himself.

Besides Mr Qaiser, the PTI delegation included former minister in Imran Khan’s cabinet Ali Mohammad Khan, former MNA Junaid Akbar and ex-senator Barrister Mohammad Ali Saif.

Talking to Dawn, Barrister Saif stated that the sole purpose of the visit was to offer condolences over the death of Maulana Fazl’s mother-in-law and not any political motive.

However, he added, whenever politicians met, they discussed “political situation”.

Stating that it was the first “formal contact” between the two parties, he said the JUI-F chief had already decl­ared that the treatment being meted out to PTI chairman Imran Khan was “inappropriate” and that they expressed gratitude to the Maulana over his remarks.

He said both sides agreed that elections in the country should be held on time and in a free, fair and transparent manner and that all political parties should have a level playing field.

He said the matter of the expulsion of the unregistered Afghan refugees from the country also came under discussion during the meeting.

Barrister Saif did not rule out the possibility of more meetings between the two parties in future.

Responding to a question, he said they visited the JUI-F chief in line with a decision taken by the PTI’s core committee in a recent meeting.

He further said that the delegation had undertaken the visit with the formal approval of PTI Chairman Imran Khan, who is currently incarcerated in the Adiala Jail, Rawalpindi.

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JUI-F spokesperson Hafiz Hamdullah while talking to Dawn said his party had no enmity with the PTI or its leadership, and did not rule out more such contacts to discuss the political situation.

“We have been saying from day one that the PTI had been imposed on the country through the use of force in July 2018 elections,” he said, adding: “We have also said that the PTI agenda and their way of politics was not right, but better late than never, and the flexibility shown by the PTI leadership is a welcoming step.”

He said when the PTI leaders were behind bars, the Maulana had openly expressed that it was not a right time to speak against Imran Khan.

The PTI delegation’s visit also shows that they have realised that Maulana Fazlur Rehman had a presence in the country’s politics, he said.

“They have acknowledged the Maulana as imam,” he said while referring to the offering of prayers by the PTI leaders at the Maulana’s residence, stating that sooner or later, the PTI would also acknowledge the Maulana as imam in politics.

Mr Hamdullah declared that an electoral alliance with the PTI was not a point of discussion in the current situation when its leader was behind bars.

Published in Dawn, October 27th, 2023