Fazl doesn’t see Oct 12 replay

LAHORE: JUI-F chief Maulana Fazl-ur-Rehman dismissed the impression that the situation arising out of the recent publication of an objectionable news item in a local daily regarding a high-level meeting was similar to that of the pre-October 12, 1999 coup.

“There seems to be nothing on the political scene to suggest that there is any chance of a replay of October 12. Possibilities of winding up the political set-up could be merely for the consumption of news stories but the ground realities are quite different,” he said, replying to newsmen’s queries after addressing the silver jubilee awards ceremony of a state-run TV programme on Saturday.

Fazl said the PTI leadership must display a reasonable level of trust in the superior judiciary since the Supreme Court was set to start hearing the issue of Panama Papers. He said coming out on the streets for agitation in the current situation would suggest that the PTI leadership wanted to pressurise the Supreme Court instead of the government.

To another question, Fazl said it was not the government but the PTI leadership that had reached a dead-end in view of the present political state of affairs. The PTI should keep in mind that the participants of the sit-in needed a cool ground under their feet to stand upon, as a hot ground would be unbearable for them, he remarked.