Shujaat congratulates Maulana Fazl on ‘stealing the show’

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) leader Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain telephoned Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman on Sunday and congratulated him for ‘stealing the show’ with his Azadi March.

“Congratulations, you’ve managed to get the leader of the two biggest opposition parties to recognise you as their leader,” he reportedly told Fazl.

During the telephonic conversation, the veteran politician urged Maulana Fazlur Rehman to resolve the issues with a reconciliatory approach, lauding him for him for putting up a good show in Islamabad.

“Congratulations, you’ve managed to get the leader of the two biggest opposition parties to recognise you as their leader,” he reportedly told Maulana Fazl in a veiled reference to the PML-N and the PPP.

Shujaat urged Fazl to dispel the wrong impression that had been caused by his statement involving the army.

The PML-Q leader also lashed at the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Shehbaz Sharif saying he has no role in the sit-in as his status is that of, as a Punjabi adage goes, “Jumma Junj Nal.”

He said Shehbaz accidentally became the leader of the opposition as Maulana Fazl is the real one.

Shujaat urged Fazl to resolve the crisis through reconciliation, keeping in mind the national interest of the country.

“Try to resolve the crisis through reconciliation, you have the capability to do so,” he was quoted as telling the JUI-F chief.

Earlier on Sunday, Punjab Assembly Speaker Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi contacted JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman and urged him to resolve the current standoff through reconciliation.

According to sources, Fazl and Elahi both spoke over the phone and discussed the Azadi March standoff. It may be mentioned that Elahi is also a member of the government’s negotiating committee led by Defence Minister Pervaiz Khattak.