RAWALPINDI/PESHAWAR:
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has once again opened backchannels with Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) as part of its political manoeuvrings against the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), sources confirmed on Wednesday.
Amid growing whispers of potential alliances, sources said PTI leader Salman Akram Raja has reached out to JUI-F’s leadership, expressing a desire for talks. However, JUI-F has informed PTI that its chief, Maulana Fazlur Rehman, is currently away for Umrah.
With both former rivals staying tight-lipped and moving cautiously, they have reportedly agreed to meet once Fazl returns, with talks expected as early as next week.
Moreover, PTI Secretary General Barrister Salman Akram Raja confirmed on Tuesday that jailed party founding chairman Imran Khan has issued certain instructions regarding the JUI-F chief, which will be conveyed accordingly.
Speaking to the media outside Central Jail after meeting Imran, Salman said discussions took place on the opposition alliance, though he refrained from disclosing all details. He reiterated that PTI held Fazl in respect and wished for him to be part of the alliance.
He also confirmed that Imran had no grievances regarding the party and that discussions had been held concerning future strategies. The ex-PM has not met his political allies for the past five months, and steps have been taken in this regard.
Raja also criticised certain individuals for leveraging legal representation to gain political influence and stressed that those entrusted with responsibilities by Imran should remain focused on political affairs.
Addressing concerns about Imran’s health, he dismissed circulating false reports, clarifying that the former prime minister was in good health following a routine check-up.
He denied allegations that Imran was being deprived of suhoor (pre-dawn meal for fasting) or restricted from performing religious activities.
‘Darkest period’
Meanwhile, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate and PTI stalwart Shibli Faraz announced that the former ruling party was joining forces with other opposition parties for a coordinated campaign against the government.
Speaking to reporters outside Peshawar High Court (PHC), he said that the past year has been the “darkest period” in Pakistan’s history. He added that the government has bulldozed laws like PECA and the 26th Amendment without a democratic process, spending billions on advertisements while doing nothing tangible.
He lambasted the expanding federal cabinet, calling it “a reward for turncoats and defectors,” adding that the country was drowning in debt while inflation was at an all-time high.
Shibli condemned the worsening security situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan and noted that Sindh was also in turmoil over water shortages. “We will hit the streets against this incompetent government after Eid,” he announced, adding that PTI is also preparing for legal battles in various courts.
Meanwhile, at a separate press conference, Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Omar Ayub Khan slammed the government’s performance on its first anniversary, challenging Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s claims of economic stability.
“Where is the stability? We certainly don’t see it,” he said, adding that the country was in dire straits, facing a crippling economic slowdown, an industrial shutdown and a struggling agriculture sector.
He pointed out that wheat production was facing a crisis, the IT and telecom sectors have fallen behind and services were deteriorating. “The economy is shrinking, and we are going through one of the worst financial periods in history,” Ayub added.
Lamenting the rupee’s depreciation, Ayub said that Pakistan’s external debt has increased by Rs120 billion due to currency devaluation. He further said that Rs2,930 billion worth of loans have been rescheduled, adding that repaying these loans will be a significant burden on the masses.
He lamented that only Rs92 billion out of Rs1,400 billion has been spent, which is merely 8% of the allocated funds with just three months left in the fiscal year.
Ayub further pointed out that capacity payments in the power sector have crossed Rs2,000 billion but the government remains ineffective in addressing the crisis.
He questioned the transparency and efficacy of the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC), stating that Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) has dropped to a 50-year low. Meanwhile, $350 million was paid to a US company for F-16 aircraft maintenance, while foreign exchange reserves have dwindled to $11 billion.
“Terrorism is rising at an alarming rate across the country, with Balochistan witnessing daily attacks,” he warned. “Security forces cannot even enter certain areas, and instead of focusing on militants, intelligence agencies are busy monitoring political opponents,” he alleged.
