Updated on
Summary
Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam on Thursday announced to sit on the Opposition benches in the joint session of the Parliament convened by the President on Dec 18, Dunya News learnt. Sources revealed that the JUI is likely to give a proper application to the Speaker National Assembly to get their seats allotted in Opposition benches. Former federal minister Maulana Ataur Rehman who resigned in protest against the sacking of Azam Swati, ex-minister for Science & Technology, has returned his official vehicle and staff and vacated his office as well, party sources divulged. On the other hand, JUI is also considering to part ways with the provincial governments both in Balochistan and Gilgit-Baltistan. JUI ministers from GB and Balochistan met with Maulana Fazalur Rehman and deliberated upon the status quo. Maulana also asked his partys ministers to stay ready to quit anytime soon. It merits to mention that Haji Gulbar Khan, Minister for Health, Youth Affairs and Ashr-o-Zakat besides two parliamentary secretaries at GB. Balochistans Deputy Speaker Syed Mutee Ullah also belonged to JUI besides three other cabinet ministers. The JUI-F had first announced its decision to part ways with the PPP-led coalition government after Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani sacked JUI-F member and Minister for Science and Technology Azam Khan Swati from the federal cabinet. Earlier, Federal Minister for Defence Ahmed Mukhtar has stated that Pakistan Peoples Party had chalked out a strategy to bring JUI-F Chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman back into the government. He was optimistic that PPP would woo Maulana, adding that he would return to the government soon.
