PTI vs Govt: Can Fazlur Rehman Broker a Political Truce?
News Desk
ISLAMABAD: In an unexpected development in Pakistan’s political landscape, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman has emerged as a potential mediator between the federal government and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), despite his long-standing political rivalry with the party.
Sources said both the government and the opposition have approached Fazlur Rehman to help revive their stalled negotiations and facilitate a possible breakthrough in the ongoing political impasse.
According to sources, the JUI-F chief has set five conditions for taking on the role and intends to first assess the seriousness of both sides before formally agreeing to mediate.
Fazlur Rehman has indicated that he will examine whether the government and opposition are genuinely willing to negotiate and whether they are prepared to show flexibility on key issues. He will also assess whether both sides are willing to acknowledge each other’s positions and make compromises necessary to reach common ground.
His possible involvement carries added political significance given his past relationship with PTI. Fazlur Rehman was once among the party’s most prominent political opponents and had remained highly critical of its leadership. His emergence as a possible intermediary therefore marks a notable shift in the country’s political dynamics.
Sources said a meeting between Fazlur Rehman and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is likely if a final decision is reached on his mediation role. Further progress is expected following the meeting.
A government delegation met Fazlur Rehman on Wednesday to discuss the country’s political situation and the status of negotiations with the opposition. The delegation was led by National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq and included Adviser to the Prime Minister on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah and Tariq Fazal Chaudhry.
The delegation briefed the JUI-F chief on the seriousness of the political situation and conveyed the federal government’s concerns over the continuing deadlock.
Speaking to the media after the meeting, Ayaz Sadiq said back-channel contacts with the opposition were continuing and that efforts were underway to find a political solution in the larger national interest.
He added that he remained in regular telephone contact with members of the National Assembly.
The government delegation’s meeting with Fazlur Rehman came a day after representatives of PTI and the opposition alliance also met the JUI-F chief at his Islamabad residence. The opposition delegation sought his assistance in resolving the political impasse and facilitating dialogue.
Formal negotiations between the federal government and the opposition began on October 2 but concluded after two days without a breakthrough, leaving the two sides at an impasse.
A day after the talks failed, PTI launched its announced long march on October 4. Led by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, the march is currently proceeding from Peshawar towards Charsadda.
Following the breakdown of negotiations, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif renewed his offer to engage with the opposition. However, Opposition Leader in the National Assembly Mahmood Khan Achakzai has maintained that the opposition’s key condition for resuming talks is permission to meet PTI founder Imran Khan.
Against this backdrop, Fazlur Rehman’s potential entry as a mediator could create an unusual political opening between the government and PTI, placing a former political rival of the party at the centre of efforts to bring the two sides back to the negotiating table.
