Govt. starts feeling heat of JUI-F protest march

Finally, Jammiat Ulema e Islam (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman has announced date for his protest march to Islamabad. He wants to land in federal capital on October 27.

Though it seems a unilateral decision to plan Islamabad lockdown, there is a feeling that other opposition parties—Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz and Pakistan Peoples’ Party—would announce joining it at later stage depending on the prevailing political situation.

On the other hand, Prime Minister Imran Khan looks determined to continue his drive to root out corruption, come what may. He has even offered to provide a container to opposition at famous D-chowk, a place where cricketer-turned-politician held sit-in for 126 days.

But PTI-led government has been feeling the heat of Maulana’s solo flight to lockdown Islamabad later this month. Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtoonkhwa (KPK) has made it clear that no one would be allowed to march towards Islamabad from his province.

Railways Minister Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed is of the belief that the government is not concerned about JUI-F chief’s call to march towards Islamabad, as he believes PML-N president Shahbaz Sharif would distance himself from it.

Sheikh Rasheed, who is more eager to be known as political pundit, also feels that PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari would also not join Maulana Fazlur Rehman in his lockdown plan.

Foreign Affairs Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, through his appearance on different television news channels, has requested JUI chief to re-schedule his protest plan, as Kashmiris observe black day on October 27.

“If Maulana will stage protest on October 27, it will damage Kashmir cause. So he should avoid anything else on the Black Day of Kashmir,” Qureshi maintained.

Both Shahbaz Sharif and Bilawal Bhutto Zardari who failed to convince Maulana Fazlur Rehman to delay his protest plan till November are expected to soon convene consultative meeting of their respective parties.

Read More: JUI-F’s call for Islamabad lockdown a threat to PTI government

Talking to reporters outside the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) court, Bilawal Bhutto told media persons that he has called a meeting to discuss “the extent to which they can help (Maulana Fazlur Rehman)”. PML-N jailed leader Nawaz Sharif and former president Asif Ali Zardari are supporting Maulana Fazlur Rehman.

Political observers believe that the government’s actions in days to come would determine whether PPP and PML-N will support JUI’s Islamabad lockdown plan wholeheartedly or not.

Even if they do not actively support him, Maulana Fazlur Rehman through the network of seminaries can have enough foot soldier to create problems for the government. The first march could be a warm-up exercise to build momentum against the government.

The top leaders of the two mainstream parties already behind bars, astute cleric would try to fill the vacuum as potent opposition. To succeed in his aim, that he would have to secure support of section of masses as well as powerful quarters.