ISLAMABAD: PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari and Maulana Fazlur Rehman of the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam met on Monday to discuss the prevailing political situation and formulate a joint strategy on key national issues.
Mr Bhutto-Zardari called on Maulana Fazl at his residence to discuss political and parliamentary matters. JUI-F sources said that the focus of the discussion was to formulate a collective strategy related to new legislation and develop parliamentary cooperation between the PPP and the JUI-F.
They claimed that Mr Bhutto-Zardari stressed the importance of the role of opposition parties in the upcoming legislation — a probable reference to a new constitutional amendment that is on the cards. Maulana Fazl expressed concerns over the attitude and relationship between the government and the opposition parties.
The meeting comes a day after a senior JUI-F leader said his party would march on Islamabad and organise a series of nationwide gatherings against flawed government policies.
In the meeting, the PPP leaders also emphasised joint action on national issues, such as security and stability, the economy, and electoral reforms. Both sides discussed the role of parliamentary parties regarding the Afghanistan crisis.
It may be noted that Pakistan and Afghanistan engaged in brief but intense skirmishes over the issue of cross-border terrorism. Currently, talks between the two are underway in Turkiye.
The PPP delegation included Syed Nayyar Hussain Bukhari, Humayun Khan and Jamil Soomro, while the JUI-F delegation included Maulana Asad Mahmood and Mufti Abrar.
‘No interest in JUI-F’
PTI leader Salman Akram Raja, separately, said the PTI did not see a possibility of the JUI-F supporting it for the NA opposition leader slot.
In response to a question regarding chatter of a new NA opposition leader and whether the JUI-F will support the PTI, Mr Raja said, “Considering the past, I don’t think they will go with us at the end, and whether they form an alliance with the PPP or the PML-N, I cannot say anything about it, but we (PTI) don’t really have any interest in it.”
Published in Dawn, October 28th, 2025
