A meeting between the government and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam- Fazl (JUI-F) pertaining to cancellation of the latter's sit-in which was scheduled to take place on Sunday was cancelled.

JUI-F's Abdul Ghafoor Haideri and Senate Chairman Sanjarani who was representing the government side were scheduled to meet on Sunday, but the meeting could not place.

A senior JUI-F leader who declined to be named said that decision to hold talks with the government will now be taken by Rahbar Committee scheduled to be held on October 22. He said that JUI-F Chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman entrusted the Rahbar Committee to hold talks with the government after discussion with all opposition leaders. He said that an impression has been created that JUI-F directly wants to negotiate with the government where there is no truth.

In a bid to restore the trust of all opposition parties, he said that the JUI-F chief contacted all the opposition leaders and taken them into confidence and told them Rahbar Committee will make a decision regarding talks with government.

The JUI-F leader said that the party informed Senate chairman about cancellation of a scheduled meeting with him as we have decided that a decision regarding talks with government will be taken by the Rahbar Committee.

A day ago, Defence Minister Pervez Khattak expressed optimism that the government's reconciliation committee would bear meaningful results. The minister said the government had constituted the reconciliation committee for peaceful resolution of their demands. Khattak said the peaceful protest was constitutional right of every political party and urged Maulana Fazlur Rehman to disclose his legal demands before the government for their amicable solutions. He said the JUI-F chief should refrain from launching so-called Azadi March and warned that strict action would be taken if protesters damaged the public property.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2019