Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) will decide on a potential alliance with Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) after Eidul Fitr, party chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman said on Saturday.
Speaking to reporters in Islamabad, Fazl confirmed that JUI-F’s consultative council will deliberate on whether to join PTI in launching an anti-government movement.
He noted that while tensions with PTI have eased, the party remains internally divided, with its key leaders, including founding chairman Imran Khan and vice chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi, still behind bars.
The JUI-F chief cautioned that unilateral political decisions could escalate tensions in the country. He added that Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader and former prime minister Nawaz Sharif could play a crucial role in the current political landscape.
Fazl also underscored the need for dialogue on Balochistan and indicated that JUI-F could consider playing a role in Afghanistan-related matters if requested by the state.
The PTI has been actively reaching out to opposition leaders following Khan’s directive to build an anti-government alliance.
In January, a PTI delegation formally invited Fazl to join the opposition bloc, Tehreek Tahafuz Ayeen-e-Pakistan (TTAP). More recently, PTI’s Asad Qaiser and JUI-F Senator Kamran Murtaza formed a committee to facilitate further discussions.
Despite these efforts, a formal working relationship remains elusive. JUI-F has conveyed its conditions and concerns to PTI.
Separately, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has announced a rally to express solidarity with the Pakistan Army personnel and victims of the Jaffer Express attack.
Akmal Khan Bari, PTI Punjab’s vice president, condemned the attack in a video message, calling it “an extreme act of brutality.” He added, “This was an attack on Pakistan, and we will never forget it.”
The rally is scheduled for Tuesday, March 18, and will begin at GPO Chowk in Lahore, concluding at the Punjab Assembly.
“We urge the Punjab government not to create any obstacles. This will be a peaceful rally to honour the martyrs of the Jaffer Express tragedy and the brave soldiers who lost their lives,” Bari said.
He also encouraged PTI workers, lawyers, and civil society members to participate in large numbers.
