Azadi March: Govt, opposition to meet on Oct 25
The talks will be held at the residence of Rehbar Committee chief Akram Durrani.
ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – The members of government committee and Opposition’s Rehbar Committee is likely to hold meeting on Friday (October 25).
Sources said that head of the government committee Pervaiz Khattak contacted Rehbar Committee head Akram Durrani, while Speaker Punjab Assembly Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi contacted Jamiat Ulema Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman and sought time for meeting.
Following the telephonic conversation, a meeting has been fixed for Friday (October 25) between the government committee and Opposition’s Rehbar Committee. The talks will be held at the residence of Rehbar Committee chief Akram Durrani.
Akram Durrani has also summoned a meeting of the Rehbar Committee before meeting the members of the government committee, sources said.
On Tuesday, a Committee, formed by Prime Minister Imran Khan to hold talks over Azadi March of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F), rejected Opposition’s Rehbar Committee’s demand of the premier’s resignation.
According to sources, the rejection came during a meeting of the government’s committee headed by Defence Minister Pervaiz Khattak and comprises of National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser, Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani, Speaker Punjab Assembly Pervaiz Elahi, PTI leader Asad Umer, Minister for Education Shafqat Mahmood, and Minister for Religious Affairs Noorul Haq Qadri held in Islamabad.
During the meeting, the government committee rejected Rehbar Committee’s demand of resignation of PM Imran.
Sources said that the members of the government committee said that the government recognized the opposition’s right to peaceful protest but the march towards federal capital is inappropriate during the current situation of the country and the region, adding that the government is serious about resolving issues through dialogue.
Sources further said that the government committee has decided to hold meeting with all opposition leaders and it will also hold meeting with Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) president Shehbaz Sharif.
“Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani had also been tasked to contact Pakistan Peoples’ Party (PPP) chariman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari,” sources said while Speaker Punjab Assembly Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi will himself contact JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman.
Earlier yesterday, head of opposition’s Rehbar Committee Akram Durani contacted head of committee formed by government to discuss JUI-F’s Azadi March.
Akram Durani informed government committee head Pervaiz Khattak about the demands of JUI-F. Pervaiz Khattak on the occasion said he will contact Rehbar committee after consulting with other members of government committee.
Govt to grant JUI-F conditional permission for Azadi March
A seven-member committee, formed by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government for negotiation on Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl’s (JUI-F) Azadi March, on Wednesday held meeting with Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan and briefed him over talks with opposition parties.
During the meeting, the team headed by Perveiz Khattak and comprising National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser, Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani, Speaker Punjab Assembly Pervaiz Elahi, PTI leader Asad Umer, Minister for Education Shafqat Mahmood, and Minister for Religious Affairs Noorul Haq Qadri took the premier into confidence over its discussion with the Rahbar Committee.
The premier said that JUI-F will be conditionally allowed to hold protest in Islamabad if it cooperates with the interior ministry for implementation of Islamabad and Lahore high courts’ decisions regarding sit-ins in the federal capital. He also directed the team to continue negotiation with opposition parties.
JUI-F chief decides to lead Azadi March on Oct 31
JUI-F Chief Maulana Fazal-ur-Rehman had announced that his party’s anti-government ‘Azadi March’ to Islamabad will take place on October 31 instead of October 27.
"We have decided to enter Islamabad on October 31," he said, adding that marchers will express solidarity with Kashmiris on Oct 27 and then leave for the federal capital. "People from all over the country will enter Islamabad at the same time, he told.
Maulana Fazal-ur-Rehman said he will announce the next plan of action himself after reaching Islamabad. The protests will be staged nationwide if Azadi March is stopped, he stressed.
