Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif invited Fazlur Rehman for talks — Dawn
In Pakistan, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif discussed by phone with Maulana Fazlur Rehman, leader of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) party, the possibility of reducing tensions between the federal government and the authorities of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. As Dawn reports, the head of government invited Rehman to a meeting at the prime minister's residence, and he accepted the invitation.
The prime minister's office said the talks are expected to take place soon. Sharif also congratulated Rehman on performing Umrah, the minor pilgrimage to Mecca.
An attempt to restore dialogue
The phone conversation took place amid Rehman's contacts with the opposition. Talks on October 3 between the federal authorities and the Tehreek-e-Tahafuz-e-Ain-e-Pakistan opposition alliance ended without agreements. One of the main points of disagreement was counterterrorism policy.
JUI-F representative Aslam Ghauri said that Rehman is acting not as a mediator but as a facilitator of dialogue. According to him, the party's priority is to bring the sides back to the negotiating table. JUI-F also called for a multiparty conference to be convened in the parliament building to discuss political and security issues.
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PTI National Assembly member Junaid Akbar had earlier confirmed that Rehman offered to help overcome the deadlock between the government and the opposition. He noted that PTI is open to such involvement, although Rehman did not propose a specific model for negotiations.
Dispute over provincial security
The federal government led by the PML-N party and the PTI provincial administration of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are in conflict over several issues, primarily counterterrorism. PTI says it is being excluded from decision-making on provincial security; the federal authorities deny this.
Federal ministers also criticized PTI for preparing a protest march to Islamabad amid security challenges in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Information Minister Attaullah Tarar accused the provincial authorities of poor governance and said that development funds, according to his claims, are being spent on organizing protests.
Separately, Shehbaz Sharif met with President Asif Ali Zardari. The sides discussed the overall political situation and security in the country, and also agreed to hold separate sessions of the National Assembly and the Senate on October 13.
