ISLAMABAD: Jamaat-e-Islami Emir Hafiz Naeemur Rehman on Friday said his party would oppose the imposition of emergency, governor’s rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa or any move to suspend the Constitution, as JI accepted an invitation to attend the All Parties Conference convened by Tehreek Tahafuz Ayeen Pakistan.
His remarks came after leaders of Jamaat-e-Islami and the opposition alliance met in Islamabad to discuss the country’s political situation, law and order and economic challenges.
The meeting was held at the residence of JI Deputy Emir Mian Muhammad Aslam. Hafiz Naeemur Rehman, Liaquat Baloch and Nasrullah Randhawa represented Jamaat-e-Islami, while Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, Allama Raja Nasir Abbas, Asad Qaiser and Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar were part of the Tehreek Tahafuz Ayeen Pakistan delegation. PTI leader Salman Akram Raja also attended.
Speaking to the media after the meeting, Hafiz Naeem said Jamaat-e-Islami had accepted the invitation to participate in the APC and would support efforts aimed at building consensus on the country’s political, security and economic situation.
He said Pakistan did not belong to any single political party or institution and called for an end to political confrontation and violence.
The JI chief made clear that his party would oppose governor’s rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the declaration of an emergency or any attempt to suspend the Constitution. He has also publicly opposed calls for governor’s rule in KP in recent days.
Hafiz Naeem said meaningful negotiations between the government and opposition should have begun earlier and stressed that the current dialogue must produce substantive results.
He also raised concerns over restrictions on meetings between PTI founder Imran Khan and his party leaders and called for concerns regarding his health to be addressed.
Hafiz Naeem demanded the release of detained women, including Imran Khan’s sisters, and said there should be no unnecessary obstacles in bail proceedings involving detained political leaders.
He said Jamaat-e-Islami would support efforts aimed at restoring the political process while continuing its campaign over inflation and the petroleum levy.
Allama Raja Nasir Abbas said the opposition alliance had approached Jamaat-e-Islami because it wanted political parties to consult one another over ways to address the challenges facing the country.
Later, PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan said the united opposition was heading into talks with the government without any preconditions and would listen to the government’s position before presenting its own.
However, he said PTI’s long march remained firm and that the party’s next move would depend on the government’s attitude during the negotiations.
Barrister Gohar said governor’s rule or an emergency was not a solution to the planned long march and maintained that political disputes should be resolved through dialogue.
Government and PTI negotiating committees also began talks in Islamabad on Friday, with the government seeking movement on the planned opposition march and opposition leaders calling for consensus.
Barrister Gohar thanked Jamaat-e-Islami for accepting the APC invitation and said free elections, inflation and the public’s right to govern were among the opposition’s key concerns.
He also said PTI had previously cooperated with the government in efforts against terrorism and would continue to do so.