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Saturday, June 05, 2010
Fazl steps up efforts to revive MMABy Hussain Kashif
LAHORE: JUI-F chief Fazlur Rehman has stepped up efforts to revive the MMA, the long-dormant alliance of six religious political parties, sources told Daily Times on Thursday.
The development follows his differences with the ruling PPP on questions of regional politics and election strategy.
According to sources within the party, Rehman has begun contacting the leadership of the religious parties that had earlier formed part of the MMA. The sources said that he had held talks with the top leadership of four major MMA components, including the JI, the Jamiat Ahle-Hadith-Sajid Mir, the Jamiat Ulema-e-Pakistan-Noorani and the Tehreek-e-Jaferia Pakistan.
During the telephonic conversations, Rehman convinced the other leaders of the reunification of the alliance as a need of the hour, at a time when the US was threatening Pakistan with aerial strikes, and with the Western areas of the country facing a military operation. Such an operation could also be started against the Punjabi Taliban, the sources quoted Rehman as adding. The sources said that all these parties have given Rehman the go-ahead to restore the MMA as a political alliance before the next general elections. The leaders believed they could get valuable support from the masses through socio-political activities, protests, walks and conferences conducted against government policies on inflation, unemployment, foreign debts, military operations, US drone attacks and the law and order situation in the country.
Some of these have also suggested that the JUI-F chief should expand his negotiations with other regional parties. On the suggestion of these leaders, Rehman was considering calling APC of like-minded religious and regional parties who too could become part of the MMA. The sources said that Rehman was annoyed with the PPP leadership’s attitude towards him, especially during the by-polls in Dera Ismail Khan. According to the sorces, Rehman had allegedly been threatened by PPP leaders to withdraw his party candidate, Maulana Lutfullah, against the PPP candidate Samiullah Alizai. Alizai eventually won the by-polls on March 24.
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk