Maulana Fazl consults with Zardari on contesting by-polls

• JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rahman met Asif Ali Zardari
• They discussed the by-elections and general elections
• Maulana Fazl convinced Zardari to not contest NA by-elections

ISLAMABAD: Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rahman met Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari and discussed the political situation in the country.

During the hour-long meeting at Zardari House Islamabad, the two leaders discussed the political situation and held consultations on contesting the upcoming by-elections.

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) had announced to conduct by-elections on 33 National Assembly seats vacated by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), after their resignations were accepted, on March 16.

Zardari and Maulana Fazl held consultations on the upcoming by-elections and the general elections sources revealed. They also discussed the decision of the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) to not participate in the by-elections.

Earlier today, Maulana Fazlur Rehman also held a meeting with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and discussed the political situation.

Minister for Finance and Revenue Ishaq Dar and Advisors to PM Ahad Cheema and Engr. Amir Muqam were also present. They discussed the overall political situation in the country during the meeting.

Sources revealed that Maulana Fazl wants to convince Zardari not to participate in the by-elections of the National Assembly. The PDM wants to contest the provincial elections only if it is unable to stop the polls in both provincial assemblies, sources added.

According to sources, PDM does not want to contest the NA by-elections. However, the PPP is not willing to leave the field open for the PTI and wants to contest polls.

PPP sources revealed that the party is still suffering the consequences after it boycotted the election once. They said Shaheed Benazir Bhutto has given a policy guideline to never leave the field empty in elections. Sources added that PPP is not a part of PDM and is not bound by its decisions.

A day earlier, former President Asif Ali Zardari and JUI-F chief Maulana Fazal-ur-Rehman called on Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. During the meeting views were exchanged about the overall political situation in the country.

Minister for Defence Khawaja Muhammad Asif, Minister for Economic and Political Affairs Sardar Ayaz Sadiq and Minister for Railways Khawaja Saad Rafiq were also present in the meeting.

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