JUI-F announces withdrawal from government

ISLAMABAD: A spokesperson of the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F), Jan Muhammad Khan Achakzai, announced on Friday the party's decision to withdraw from the federal government saying that they had reservations over the policy issues undertaken during the past four months, DawnNews reported. The spokesperson claimed that the government had not taken JUI-F into confidence over mediation between the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan and government, nor over the issues related to the Protection of Pakistan Ordinance (PPO)and National Security policy. Moreover, the two JUI-F members of the federal cabinet, who had taken oath in January this year, also tendered their resignations. The spokesperson said that holding of ministries was not a priority of the JUI-F and neither was the party power hungry. He further claimed that the government had never considered the party as an ally and added that it was difficult for the JUI-F to remain in the government as long as a deadlock persisted. A senior leader of the Pakistan Muslim League - Nawaz (PML-N) told Dawn.com that there was a deadlock between the PML-N and the JUI-F leaderships on the issue of ministries because the JUI-F leadership had sought the ministry of Communications and Housing & Works. “Due to the reservations of the TTP on the role of JUI-F, the PML-N leadership did not discuss with the JUI-F leadership regarding the dialogue process with Taliban,” the source said. The source also confirmed that the PML-N leadership has decided to review the PPO after the reservations of the opposition parties and the Balochistan government on the ordinance. Also read: Govt faces fight over controversial anti-terror law Moreover, the PML-N source added that the party leadership would try to remove the reservations of the JUI-F after Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif arrived from his visit of China.