SUKKUR: Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl’s central general secretary, Abdul Ghafoor Haideri, has said there is no truth in reports about any deal with the JUI-F chief in London.

“It is obvious JUI-F is a big party and has friends and supporters in London as well. Maulana Fazlur Rehman is visiting the country on their invitation,” said Mr Haideri while talking to media persons in Jacobabad on Friday.

He that if Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf wanted to hold processions and sit-ins it was the party’s democratic right under the country’s constitution. In a democratic system, every party and individual had the right to raise voice for their rights, he said.

He said that he was not sure about talks between PTI and JUI-F in future but the talks were not happening at present for sure.

He said that since the day Pakistan had come into being, people of Balochistan were viewed with suspicion. Military operations were conducted against Baloch people during the tenures of Gen Ayub Khan and Z.A. Bhutto and Gen Musharraf when Nawab Akbar Bugti was slain. Such actions were taken against those who were raising voice for their rights in Balochistan, he said.

He wondered what the people who made such ill-advised decisions and took such actions really wanted and said that people of Balochistan only demanded that whatever natural resources, minerals, oil, gold, gas etc existed in their province should be under the control of people. When Baloch people talked like this, it made the federal government angry, he said.

He said that he was not only talking for Balochistan but also for the rest of the provinces. People in all provinces should have right over whatever mineral resources and reserves were found in their land, he said, adding instead of respecting people’s demands, bullets were being fired at them, which was sheer injustice.

Mr Haideri said that nobody could tell for how long people could tolerate such policies.

He denied having any information about change of chief minister in the province. “It is obvious JUI-F is a big party and its friends in Britain wanted Maulana Fazlur Rehman to visit them. There is no truth in talks about any deal with JUI-F in Britain,” he said.

He said that one could express reservations on many things in the 26th constitutional amendment but the party’s five suggestions which were made part of the amendment included complete abolition of usury (interest) by 2028. “It is our great achievement,” he said.

Published in Dawn, November 16th, 2024